


The Return

by The_Consulting_Werewolf



Series: The Krisho Whodunit Files [6]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Small Town, Character Death, Eventual Smut, Forensics, Ghosts, Horror, Light Angst, M/M, Medical Inaccuracies, Murder Mystery, Panic Attacks, Psychological Trauma, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2019-09-17 00:28:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 84,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16964343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Consulting_Werewolf/pseuds/The_Consulting_Werewolf
Summary: Junmyeon thinks he has put his past behind him. But a serial killer is on the move in the town of Hangu-nam, and Junmyeon is pulled right back to the place he never wanted to return to. Especially when he knows Yifan might be still waiting for him. And the ghosts might be waiting for him too.





	1. November Rain

**Author's Note:**

> lmao what is self-control

The morning starts with so much rain that it instantly sends Junmyeon into his lowest mood as soon as he wakes up. He sits up in his bed and keeps scowling at the weather outside his window for a good whole minute, wondering if his job is worth braving the weather for. Just as he is thinking about calling in for a day off, his phone rings. It startles him, and tangled in the bed sheets, it takes time for him to find his phone, which somehow had managed to get under the bed.

He picks the call up at the last second, and the voice on the other end is only too familiar. “Morning boss!”

It is his sergeant, Jackson Wang, and his bright, cheery voice grates on his nerves, so he groans in response. That makes Jackson laugh, but he gets to the point, “Anyway, listen hyung, you gotta come in early today. The chief wanted to talk to you about the transfer. Can’t believe you are leaving me like this.”

Junmyeon groans again when he remembers that that meeting is today of all days, and he knows he can’t push the chief and ask for a leave right now. He had asked for the transfer, after getting fed up with Seoul and his last attack. He wanted to move somewhere with less pollution, so he had put for the request himself. He has no other choice but roll out of the bed and get going in this terrible weather. Why is it raining so much in November anyway?

As he is putting down his phone back on the bedside table, he looks at the date. November 6. His chest tightens as he exhales, and his heart clenches painfully in his chest. Five years and you’d think he would learn to get over it. Whatever it was, has ended but here he is, heaving a little and trying to clear the sudden fog in his head.

He shakes his head, he has to get moving and going. So, he freshens up, eats a sham of breakfast by just stuffing some dry cereal in his mouth. He will get to eat something later or get Jackson to pick him up something from the cafe. He can’t be bothered with food now, not when the pain in his head is back and he can feel his heart beating a bit too out of rhythm. _November 6._

 

“Happy birthday doc!” the door opens, bringing with it the sounds of rain and the small man who comes by every now and then to check on Yifan. Baekhyun works as a part-time housekeeper for Yifan, who is usually never quite at his home all the time, thus forgetting to buy food or other necessities half of the time. Baekhyun doesn’t mind. It is just additional income, though Baekhyun or his husband do not need it.

Yifan was slumped over the kitchen counter, gazing into the dark depths of his coffee and thinking about a certain person. The greeting surprises him and he looks up to find Baekhyun beaming down at him. The younger man places a small package in front of him and Yifan smiles a little. He recognises the light blue package—it is from the most popular bakery in this town. Baekhyun puts all the vegetables he bought in the refrigerator. He returns to the counter and opens the package to one solitary vanilla cupcake with frosting.

Yifan has to scoff when Baekhyun conjures a candle from his jacket and jabs it on the pastry. He lights it up and pushes the cake towards Yifan. Baekhyun grins, “Make a wish hyung!”

Yifan shakes his head and smiles back, “I am thirty three now, isn’t that too old to be blowing candles and wishing on them?”

Baekhyun pouts and then clicks his tongue, “Ah hyung! No one is too old to be wishing on their birthday! Now, blow on it and make your wish!”

Yifan indulges the younger and closes his eyes. He does make a wish and then blows the flame out. He hears Baekhyun clapping and he opens his eyes. He pulls the candle out and divides the cupcake in half, handing Baekhyun one half and eating the other half himself. As usual, Kyungsoo, the owner of the cake shop, has made the most perfect sweet treat ever. He washes the cake down with his now lukewarm coffee. He is about to leave the counter when Baekhyun asks, “Do you want me to make breakfast?”

“No, it is okay Byun, you go along. I have to go to work,” Yifan says as he walks towards the coat hanger by the back door.

Baekhyun puts his hands on his hips, “Oh hyung, it is your birthday, should you be not working?”

Yifan chuckles as he puts on his rubber boots, “Can’t really Byun. A body came in late, late last night.”

Baekhyun gasps, “Is it, is it a murder again hyung?”

Yifan straightens up and grabs his heavy coat and raincoat as he shakes his head, “Don’t know yet. But if it is…”

Baekhyun finishes Yifan’s words, “That would make it two times in two weeks wouldn’t it?”

Yifan nods, grabbing his umbrella next, “Yes, yes it would.”

The town of Hangu-nam is one of the biggest in the district, but definitely not in the top three. It comes at the tenth position in that list, so even though it is big enough, everyone still somehow ends up knowing everyone. It has two hospitals, three schools, one community college, two malls and one resort that cashes in on the terrific view from the highest peak here. It also has a police station with a sizeable police force and a dedicated forensic unit, which also acts as the center for cases from surrounding smaller towns that do not have a forensic team. And this is where Yifan works.

He usually walks to his workplace since it isn’t that far, so despite the rain, he walks along the wet streets, his head tucked. The sound of cars and children shouting is just background noise as his thoughts end up at the same man who has been on his mind constantly for the last five years.

_How is he doing? Is his asthma any better? Is he okay? Since I wished for a text, would I even get one?_

They agreed to completely cut down on any sort of communication when the other left but Yifan won’t say that his heart doesn’t ache for any sort of word from the other. Maybe, if this was a clean break, Yifan would not have minded, but then again, a decade is a long time and you just cannot shake all of those years off.

The path he takes to his work winds by the river, and right now, it looks full and about to spill over. November rains here are not uncommon but if it keeps on raining like this, a flood warning may be put in place.

He reaches his office and hurries along, eager to get inside to the warmth that awaits. He steps in and the sergeant is already waiting for him. The young man, Jongdae, sends him a salute with a large grin, “Morning doc, I have been waiting for you.”

Yifan groans, rolling his eyes. He heads for the lift, his boots squelching on the tiled floor. Jongdae follows, and without any prompting, starts talking about the case. “So, the body was found really late, at like two in the morning. The person who found her was on his way home from a friend’s house, heavily inebriated but sobered up quick enough when he found the body on the shortcut he takes to walk home.”

“She was found outside?” Yifan asks as he hits the button for the basement, his expression settling into a scowl.

“Yep,” Jongdae sighs, easily understanding what Yifan is worried about, “I don’t have to tell you that it started raining long before the body was found and that it hasn’t really stopped since.”

“Damn, but if it is a natural death, I don’t need to send a team down there, right?” Heavy rains like this means every possible evidence around the body would be washed away.

The doors open on the basement level as Jongdae says, “Hyung, she was found naked and with one of her fingers missing.”

Yifan pauses as he widens his eyes, “That, that is like the last one found two weeks ago Kim…”

Jongdae crosses his arms, his eyebrows furrowing as he nods, “Exactly, hyung. If we find a third body…”

“We have a serial killer in town.”

 

Baekhyun returns home and finds his husband, Chanyeol, arguing with the truck driver. Baekhyun shakes his head as he watches Chanyeol put his hands on his hips and the umbrella almost slips from his hands as he shakes his head.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol own the largest convenience store in the neighbourhood. They get their fresh produce delivered to them every two days but the delivery was delayed by a day this time and Chanyeol is having none of it. Baekhyun steps around his raging husband and enters the store through the back. He removes his raincoat and opens his umbrella to dry in front of the heater. He steps inside their shared office and finds the crates of dried fruits on his side of the office. He is supposed to put them in place today. He hears Chanyeol entering, fuming, “I can’t believe they excuse themselves because of the weather!”

Baekhyun scoffs, “As if we don’t get rain here, or it’s not going to snow soon.”

“Exactly! They are just lazy!” Chanyeol flails his hands. Baekhyun has his back to him as he fiddles with the stock that was put down last night. Chanyeol calms down next as he remembers Baekhyun came through this terrible weather, so he softly asks, “Do you want some barley tea? I put some on the stove.”

Baekhyun nods, “Yeah, that would be nice.”

Chanyeol nods as he grabs another mug, Baekhyun’s mug. He says, “So, where did you go off to so early?”

Baekhyun turns around, crossing his arms, his voice low and uncertain, “It is a Wednesday, you know I went to Yifan hyung’s house. It is his birthday today.”

Chanyeol bites down on his lip and holds the sigh in. So, that is why Baekhyun ran out last night to grab that cake from Kyungsoo’s bakery. He was too tired to ask what Baekhyun was up to but learning it now does break his heart a little. However, what else was he expecting? He pours the tea into the two mugs and hands Baekhyun one as he says, “Oh? Yeah, right. I am gonna send him a text then.”

Silence descends between them again, as it usually does whenever Yifan makes his presence known. without actually being there, thanks to Baekhyun. The two sip their tea and Baekhyun sits down on his desk as he fiddles with his phone but Chanyeol can tell he is trying to avoid looking at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol has given up a long time ago, though at times it still hurts. So, he says nothing else as he walks out of the office. He has a lot of work to do anyway, and work, he has learnt, is a great distraction from the sadness in his heart.

 

Junmyeon strolls into his office and Jackson greets him with a steaming cup of coffee and a croissant. Junmyeon raises an eyebrow at his partner, who just says, “Listen, let me be nice to you without agenda for the last few days you will be here.”

Junmyeon rolls his head and lightly smacks the back of Jackson’s head. He takes his drink and food to his desk, and he has hardly taken the first proper sip of his drink when his boss barks at him, “DI Kim! In here, now!”

Junmyeon groans inwardly as he gets up and follows the man to his office. The door shuts behind them and the Chief of Police, Choi Seunghyun, says, “Okay, Kim, I have your transfer papers right here.”

Junmyeon looks down at the folder in front of him and he is about to grab it when Seunghyun slaps his hand down on it and shakes his head. Junmyeon frowns, “Sir?”

Seunghyun says, “Kim, I have to tell you two things before you discover where they are sending you. One, a threat of a serial killer looms at this town, so you will be going from the hot pan into the fire.A naked body of a woman was found two weeks ago with her left pinkie finger missing, COD poisoning. Everyone believed it to be an isolated incident but then another similar body, with the left ring finger missing, was found last night. And two, they are sending you there because you are familiar with the terrain.”

Junmyeon keeps frowning but Seunghyun removes his hand. Junmyeon picks up the folder and when his eyes land on the place’s name, he sucks in a deep, staggering breath. He looks back up at Seunghyun and shakes his head, “No, sir, I cannot—”

“It is your duty to catch criminals Kim, and you will not argue with me on this,” Seunghyun warns. “You have been here for two years and you have helped solved many heinous crimes, but looking at your background and the potential intensity of this crime, and the inexperience of the force here with handling such crimes, everyone thought this was the best option.”

Junmyeon can tell from Seunghyun’s set jaw and steely expression that Junmyeon has no room for an argument. He sighs and slumps down in his seat as he looks down at the name.

Hangu-nam, he was being sent right back to the place he vowed to never return.  

 

The recorder is turned on and Yifan speaks into the mic, taking his gloves and safety goggles off, “From the full rigor mortis, the unidentified female has been dead for twelve to thirteen hours before discovery of the body. Bruises around neck and the crushing of the larynx suggests cause of death was strangulation. There are marks around hands and feets that suggests victim was tied with ropes. Additionally, there are marks all over her body. Contusions on her torso, back and inner thighs. Notable feature, the ring finger on her left hand is missing. Judging from the lines, it was a clean cut, possibly with a sharp knife. Further tests to be done on what kind of knife. No sexual assault found on her body.”

Yifan hits the stop button and his co-worker, and senior, Minseok nods. They both head the unit even though Minseok has five years on Yifan when it comes to working in forensics. Since they are the same age, both men decided to drop the formalities and work on the same level though Yifan cannot help but look at Minseok for confirmation whenever he is finished with an autopsy.  

Minseok walks towards the body laid on the steel table and clicks his tongue, “This is the same as the body of the girl before Yifan. Do you think we might have a serial killer?”

Yifan shakes his head, “We don’t know that Minseok. Let her blood toxicology return, if it contains the same things we found in the last one, then maybe. But then again, three bodies make a serial killer, righ?”

Jongdae, who was hovering close by, adds, “But didn’t you guys confirm the last death was just poison? This one was choked to death?”

Yifan shrugs as he pulls the plastic sheet over her body. Minseok replies, “We don’t know sergeant. Wait for the blood report. We could be wrong for all we know.”

Yifan puts his hands in his pockets as he says, “The first victim died of domoic acid or amnesic shellfish poisoning, which seemed weird because we don’t have any problem of algae bloom in this area, so we were sorta stumped. And coupled with the way the body was found, and the missing pinkie finger, I am starting to wonder what kind of sick bastard is doing this.”

“You think these could be related then?” Jongdae asks.

“If the cuts on the fingers match,” Minseok says, “Rest assured, it could be.”

 

Jackson waits for Junmyeon as the latter leaves the office. “So?” Jackson asks.

“Hangu-nam, in two weeks,” Junmyeon groans. He takes his lukewarm coffee and chugs it down.

“Isn’t that a fishing town down south?”

“It is not a fishing town per se,” Junmyeon starts, then he remembers why the fuck is he even defending that rotten place. “Nevermind.”

Jackson doesn’t prod though he wishes he could but one look at Junmyeon and his furrowed brows and set jaw tells him that his partner is into one of his dark moods again, so he lets it go. He puts on his coat and gets up, grinning at Junmyeon, “Anyway, we have a crime to solve hyung! Come on!”

Junmyeon nods as he grabs the pastry bag. He eats it as Jackson drives them towards Hongdae. The rain has slowed down to a light drizzle and Junmyeon doesn’t talk much as he chews his food, his brain whirring at the thought of returning to his hometown, to _him._ He shuts his eyes and wishes he could tell Jackson the things in his mind but he can’t. If he does, then he will have to explain _why_ he left and how was he to explain that without sounding crazy?

They reach their destination and the crowd is teeming, chattering loudly, their voices rising and ebbing. The other uniforms are trying to keep them at bay while Junmyeon and Jackson glide through the yellow tape just by flashing their badges. The crime scene is the back of a popular club and when Junmyeon sees the three bodies, he sighs.

One has a bullet in his head, the other has a knife in their throat and the third has his neck broken, the bone poking through the skin. Jackson grimaces at the last one, “Jesus Christ, who the fuck would go to such lengths?”

Then, of course, Junmyeon sees it—the ghost of the third one hovering near him. He shuts his eyes and tries to not groan in pain. This is why he has the highest crime-solving record in this precinct and the last he was at. He can see ghosts, and most times this curse of his lets him solve crimes much faster than anyone else. But this is a curse, not a gift as his late grandmother wanted him to believe because every time those _things_ touch him, he feels the pain they felt at their last moments, and it is not nice.

The spectre of the third victim keeps looking at Junmyeon with morose, empty eyes. The spectre has realised that Junmyeon can indeed see him and his disjointed neck. Junmyeon feels the croissant in his stomach wanting to jump out of his oesophagus when he looks at the bone peeking through the skin, almost breaking it. The ghost makes a move to come near and Junmyeon braces himself for what he knows will be coming next.

The ghost touches him and Junmyeon has to bite down on his lip when he feels the phantom pain of his neck breaking.The memory of the bones in the neck cracking almost makes junmyeon scream. But when he closes his eyes, he sees it—four men attacking this group of three at night. He feels the cold air on his skin and the wet pavement on his back when the man falls. Junmyeon sucks in a deep breath as the man removes his hand from Junmyeon’s shoulder and steps back. He didn’t get to see the faces of the men properly, but he got a rough idea.

Junmyeon finds Jackson kneeling in front of the victim with the bullet in his forehead. The sergeant says, “Way too clean.”

“It is a gang hit Jackson,” Junmyeon says, swallowing down the coffee and food still fighting their way through his throat—the aftermath of every spectral touch . “Take the knife for a testing and the bullet, I am sure we will find a previous hit. This doesn’t look personal, but planned and professional.” Jackson nods as he straightens up. Junmyeon wipes his face, now dotted with sweat, “I will head inside.”

Junmyeon does head inside, but he runs for the bathroom first. He finds it empty, thankfully, and curves over the nearest basin. He dry heaves for some time before clear liquid spill out from within, tasting of coffee and pastry, and that makes him gag again. Nothing comes out after and he splashes water on to his face and neck. He looks up at his reflection and winces. He looks terrible.

His eyes look sunken in, his already pale complexion seems grey and he didn’t get time to shave his stubble, so he looks like a mess, in short. But he has a case to solve.


	2. Come Back Home

Yixing runs down the linoleum floors, trying to catch the two forensic pathologists in case they have left the office. In his haste, he runs into someone but they catch him by wrapping their fingers around his elbows. Yixing turns his head to realise it is Jongdae, the sergeant, and instantly his face feels hot. The sergeant smiles in his trademark charming feline way, and Yixing stutters, “Uh, uh, thanks, thank you.”

Jongdae helps Yixing find his feet and then chuckle, “No problem, you okay?”

“Yes, I was just,” Yixing tears his gaze from Jongdae’s perfect face and looks at the door to his bosses’ offices. 

Jongdae follows his gaze and his smile drops, “You have the tox report?”

“Yep.”

Two days have passed since the body was found, and both Yifan and Minseok took the executive decision to do a full toxicology report and they even re-opened the victim up to take even more tissue samples. Yixing has just gotten the results, so Jongdae follows him to the pathologists’ office. 

Minseok and Yifan share an office, their work areas divided with a glass dry erase board. They were at the coffee table, finishing their lunch. Yixing and Jongdae step in and Minseok looks up with a frown, “The tox?”

“Yes sir,” Yixing says and flops down on the couch opposite to the one Yifan and Minseok are on. Jongdae chooses to keep standing. Yixing opens his file and puts down the sheets he printed out on the table. “Ethanol was the highest chemical compound found.”

“Ethanol?” Jongdae asks.

Minseok wipes his mouth before he answers, “It is in the alcohol you drink in beer or wine, so no, it is not dangerous.”

Yifan adds, “It is a byproduct of fermentation when any sort of alcohol is made, but it is mostly used as a solvent for things like perfumes or nail polish removers. Thus, on its own, it is toxic and if ingested, prompt medical attention is required.”

Yixing nods, “And she had a lot of it in her system, about point five litres of it.”

Jongdae whistles, “She probably did not drink all that on her own, did she?”

Yifan shakes his head, “No one in their right mind would Kim.”

“Why choke her then?”

Minseok hums, getting to his feet and walking over to the bin to trash the food containers, “Maybe, and this is just me hypothesizing, but death isn’t exactly instant with ethanol.”

Yixing widens his eyes as he says, “So, the murder choked her to, to hasten the process?”

Minseok nods, his lips set in a line, his expression grim. “But, this wasn’t the same poison found in thee last body Yifan…”

Yifan scratches his chin as he frowns, “That is the catch. If this is a serial murder, shouldn’t that be similar too?”

Jongdae suddenly adds, “The last victim was not from Hangu-nam—a Kim Gain— and this one—Yoo Jiwoo—isn’t either. They were both from the surrounding towns. I am combing through everything on them to see if they have a link. If we establish a link, will that help?”

“Not really,” Minseok says, “But keep looking, I guess. That is the cop’s job.”

Yifan chuckles, “Yeah, it’s your duty Kim. We are just here to cut the dead bodies up and process evidence.” Minseok chuckles as well while Yixing looks the tiniest bit lost.

Jongdae crosses his arms and sends Yifan a glare. He won’t lie, he usually comes down here and discusses cases with Yifan and Minseok because they are that smart. He knows he is capable enough but sometimes he doesn’t quite see things the way these two pathologists do. Ever since his last partner left for greener pastures (the DI he was assigned to just straight up resigned and bought a farm somewhere and left him all on his own), he had been turning more and more to the two. And they are always happy to help, though that doesn’t mean they won’t tease him. 

Yixing, Yifan and Minseok huddle over the report next so Jongdae leaves them alone. He needs to check both the victims again, and thoroughly. He has to find what made them come to Hangu-nam and then get killed like this. He looks back at the forensics again and finds Yixing staring at him but then he widens his eyes and blushes before returning to the conversation he was having with the other two men. Jongdae smirks as he leaves the office. He has caught the toxicologist stare at him now and then. He is starting to wonder if Yixing has a crush on him, or he could be very wrong and then make a fool of himself.

 

Jackson and Junmyeon’s only friend (and neighbour), Hyejin, come over to his apartment to help him pack his belongings. Hyejin is packing all his sweaters and grumbling, “What the fuck Junmyeon? Who owns this many sweater vests at your age?”

Jackson laughs, “Well he is almost forty!”

“Hey! Still got eight years till forty!” Junmyeon shouts from the kitchen.

There aren’t too many things in this apartment but Junmyeon always has been shit at organising and packing things away so he had first only sought Hyejin’s help but then Jackson showed up too. He leaves for Hangu-nam in three days, and if he is being honest with himself, he doesn’t want to leave Seoul. In his head, he can smell the brine and the fishes being dried on the coastlines. He can smell the rain and the snow, and he can hear the river. If he closes his eyes, he can also see  _ his  _ eyes pleading, trying to understand Junmyeon, trying to tell himself that Junmyeon was not crazy. All Junmyeon wanted was someone to believe him but no one ever did. Not even the only person who ever mattered to him.

Jackson walks into the living room with a bag and dumps it in the living room. Hyejin strolls after him as Junmyeon packs the last of his dinnerware, which he noted were just one of everything. However, Hyejin has something in her hands and Junmyeon belatedly realises it is a frame he had thrown at the very back of his closet. He jumps on her and snatches it away but the damage is done because Hyejin says, “Who is that Junmyeon? You look pretty close to him.”

Junmyeon looks down at the picture he had avoided looking at it for five years and hidden it away being unable to throw it away. The picture was of Junmyeon and  _ him _ , all of twenty three and twenty four respectively. It was taken on a clear summer day by the beach, their arms around each other and their grins so wide, it almost reaches their ears. Junmyeon’s knuckles turn white as he grasps the frame tighter. He finds it suddenly harder to breathe and that familiar dull ache in his heart returns. He swallows as he says, “An old friend Hyejin, from my hometown.” The lie feels disgusting on his tongue. It tastes acrid and he wants to spit it out, but he can’t, so he gulps it back down and tries to force the self-loathing back in its place.

Hyejin and Jackson share a look. They can both see how Junmyeon’s face loses colour rapidly and how his chest heaves. Junmyeon ignores them as he puts the picture in one of the bags he was taking with him. He zips the bag up and then turns around, forcing a smile, “Let’s break for lunch?”

As the three of them leave for something to eat at the local restaurant, Junmyeon wonders how will he live when he meets  _ him  _ again after five years. If a photograph is enough to break his resolve, what will the real person do to him?

But no, he has a case to solve as soon as he steps in Hangu-nam.

 

“Sergeant Kim!”

Jongdae is at the water vending machine when the loud voice startles him. He looks back to find one of the constables, Park Chaeyoung, waving at him. She is new to the force and her bubbly personality is like sunshine in the permanent gloom that surrounds them nowadays. Jongdae grins, “Yes, Constable Park?”

Chaeyoung says, hands on hips, “Don’t tell anyone I told you, but I hear you will be getting a DI soon. Some hotshot detective is coming here from Seoul!”

Jongdae raises his eyebrows in surprise, “A detective? From Seoul? Coming here? Is he okay?”

Chaeyoung laughs, “What would I know? The chief’s assistant told me, but I hope he’s handsome. We need some eye candy here.”

Jongdae mocks offense and puts his hand on his heart, gasping, “Excuse me? You have eye candy right here!”

Chaeyoung shakes her head and laughs. “Sorry oppa, but you won’t do!”

“Rude,” Jongdae mutters. Chaeyoung buys a water bottle for herself and then walks away leaving Jongdae to process his thoughts. A new detective was needed in this department, there is no denying that, and an experienced one would be great, so in a way he understands a new detective inspector coming to town. But who the hell in their right minds would take a job in this town after working in Seoul?

Jongdae shrugs as he takes a deep  gulp of the water, walking back to his desk. It will be nice to solve the cases he has been struggling with. So far, the only common things between Gain and Jiwoo are that they are both around the same age (in their early twenties), out of town and came from low income families. Gain came from a small fishing village from the south of Hangu-nam while Jiwoo came from even further north. Their families have been notified but the bodies cannot be released till their cases are solved, so Jongdae at times, feels like crying.

He is frowning down at a picture of an alive Jiwoo when his phone rings. He picks the receiver up and he hears the operator say, “Body found by the creek behind the Gong property. You are to report. Forensics have been alerted.”

Jongdae nods and puts down the receiver. He pulls his badge and gun out of a drawer. As he steps outside, he finds Yifan running down the stairs with his team of two techs. Jongdae hitches the ride with them and they arrive at the wide Gong property soon enough.

The Gongs are among the oldest families in the area, and the richest too. Their property is a farm and a horse stable but it extends into the woods beyond and a creek flows at the very end of it. Trespassers are a huge problem and the station gets calls every few weeks from them about intruders. 

Jongdae and the CS team get to the very back and the scent of decomposition hits them first. One of the techs, Sooyoung, mutters, “We got a stinker, great.”

Yifan just looks at her and shakes his head. They reach the crime scene and Sooyoung gets to yellow tape the area with Youngho, the other guy. Yifan and Jongdae step closer to the body and Jongdae tries to not gag at the sight, meanwhile, Yifan looks the least bothered. The pathologist puts on his gloves and his safety goggles. The CS team were already in the bunny suits, so they weren’t hesitant to get closer to the body. 

It was a naked male body this time. Yifan touches the man’s arm and when the skin sinks under his touch, he says, “Judging by the swelling and blisters, I would say he has been dead for three days. I don’t see any visible signs of injury—”

“Boss?” Youngho says, pointing at the man’s feet, “There are marks on his ankles that look like he might have been restrained.”

Yifan looks at the ankles and he frowns. Sooyoung was taking pictures and Yifan orders her to check his left hand. She does and gasps, “Boss, he doesn’t have his middle finger!”

The words leave everyone present to fall into a stupefied silence. Jongdae and Yifan share a look as the former mutters, “A third body hyung. Looks like we have a serial killer on our hands.”  

 

Three days later, Junmyeon reaches his hometown. His birthplace, the place he has spent twenty seven years of his life. A pang of hurt, regret stabs him when he feels the sea air on his face and the grey sea greets him. He rolls up the window of the taxi and the driver quietly drives him to the hotel he will be staying at till he finds better living arrangements. He carefully chose a new hotel so his return stays hidden with the locals for just a few days. 

The car takes him by the cliffs and dips down by the winding road that gets closer to the woods, beyond which, Junmyeon recalls, is the biggest university in the district. When it is winter, the area turns into a fairytale and plenty of families visit then, enjoying a cabin holiday. A new hotel was opened last year by this couple from China and Junmyeon chose it, knowing these people won’t know him or his history. The gossip will take its time to spread then.

The taxi drops him at the front but Junmyeon tells him to stand by because he will be leaving as soon as he checks in. The man at the reception introduces himself as Lu Han and as the owner of the place. He is medium height, fair and even though his small features give him a youthful air, the slight wrinkles around his eyes betray his age. As a porter takes Junmyeon’s luggage, he compliments the man on his fluent Korean. Lu Han laughs, “I have a Korean husband, so! He is why we are here anyway!”

“Oh?” Junmyeon says as he signs in his details.

“Yeah, Jongin scored a good position here at the new science department at the university, and Beijing was getting to us anyway, so here we are!” Lu Han takes back the book Junmyeon was signing in and asks, “So, Mr. Kim, here for business or pleasure? This is off season though.”

Junmyeon scoffs, “Business Mr. Lu. I am a police officer.”

Lu Han widens his eyes, “Oh my, are you here about the recent murders then?”

Junmyeon has read over the details, so he nods, “Yes. Now, I need to go report at the station, will you—”

Lu Han waves his hand, “Don’t worry officer, your bags will be put in the room. Will you have dinner here?”

“Yes, that will be great, thanks.”

Junmyeon takes the taxi back into town and the drive takes some time, but he reaches the station and he smirks when he sees the developments. A new coat of paint, a new wing and sliding glass doors. Even the constable uniforms look different. Junmyeon remembers his when he was in his early twenties. The pants were always so baggy.  _ “Doesn’t flatter your ass at all”.  _ Junmyeon almost smiles at that memory, of someone saying how hideous those pants were. 

But he pushes it aside and braces himself. He pays the driver off and saunters in. The place looks different but doesn’t feel different at all. He can smell the scent of disinfectant, coffee and it makes him want to turn around and leave. But a job is a job so he locates the chief’s office and heads in.

The chief of police here is a woman in her late thirties named Kim Taeyeon. She may be short and look delicate but Junmyeon remembers her as among the best officers this town ever produced. She was only assistant chief of police when he left and had the most spotless record in all of southern Korea. He remembers her to be a great shot and a good boss in all. She never cared two hoots about local gossip and superstition, and Junmyeon felt like at least in his last days here, he had her on his side. When she sees him, a small smile graces her face. She receives him warmly and says, “So, the prodigal son returns.”

Junmyeon rubs his neck as he takes a seat. Taeyeon gives him a rundown of the recent case and tells him about the sergeant that will be assigned to him. Junmyeon hears “loud” and “optimistic to a fault” and gets deja vu. She finishes by saying, “You can go around and meet him, if you want. We will give you a formal welcome tomorrow.”

Junmyeon fidgets, “That won’t be necessary ma’am.”

Taeyeon wants to argue but she knows some things about the reason why Junmyeon left, so she doesn’t push it. “Fine, at least let me introduce you to the team you will be leading, okay?”

“Okay, but no fanfare, please.”

“Yeah, yeah okay,” Taeyeon waves her hand. Then, she chews the inside of her cheek as she says, “Junmyeon, there is another thing.” Junmyeon sits up and raises his eyebrows. “Wu Yifan, he quit his job at the hospital after you left and joined Minseok here.”

Taeyeon looks at him, her gaze steady but Junmyeon feels his insides crumbling. The name he avoided, the man he didn’t want to think about is now in the very building he is. His heart thuds and he feels cold sweat breaking out on his nape. He grips the arm rests of the chair harder and tries to not start hyperventilating. He can see the pity in Taeyeon’s eyes. She knows about them, she was there after all.

She was there at the wedding, and she was there at the hospital. She knows exactly who Yifan is to Junmyeon. 

Wu Yifan. The separation. The five years apart, the pain, the hurt, all those misunderstandings. The marriage that still stands, though on a decomposing foundation. His husband. The only man he ever loved.


	3. Damage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T/W: panic attack

Minseok arrives later than Yifan and the latter raises an eyebrow at that. The senior pathologist is always early, no matter what the weather. Minseok simply grumbles, “Wheein couldn’t sleep last night, and of course, I couldn’t either.”

Yifan scoffs; Wheein is Minseok’s wife and seven months pregnant. He feels a bit awful for his friend, so he pushes his coffee towards him. Minseok takes it gratefully and then says, “So, Taeyeon has called us upstairs for briefing at ten. The new detective inspector from Seoul came yesterday and today, he meets us all. It will be nice to have a more able DI than that buffoon.”

The “buffoon” refers to DI Kang, who has good intentions but is kind of daft and the pathologists cannot quite deal with him. Yifan and Minseok chat a little about Wheein’s condition before Yixing steps into the office. He hands them the report of the male victim found four days ago, a a Han Changhyun, to them. The tox took some time since they had another case to attend to. Being the only CSI unit for more than three stations gets to them and their team of twelve and backlog is a real headache here. Not to mention the mountains of paperwork. Yifan has been asking for a back office assistant for ages now.

Yixing sits down at Yifan’s desk and says, “COD is fluoride poisoning. We found forty milliliters of ammonium fluoride and hydrofluoric acid.”

Yifan hums, “And the third degree atrioventricular block means it took him at least two to three hours to die.” Yifan and Minseok had cut open the chest and looked closely at all the organs.

Yixing nods, “We have pointed out in the report that he may have ingested or forced to ingest a rust removal agent since the composition matches of a popular brand available here. All the tissues collected showed traces of fluoride, the brain edema, congestion and erosive gastritis are all symptoms of fluoride poisoning, so death by fluoride poisoning is confirmed.”

“Forty milliliters is a lot,” Minseok whispers.

Jongdae has already located the family, another low income household not from around here. Everyone sees the pattern but it is still confusing why the perp was using different poisons each time. The three men discuss this among themselves and soon the clock shows ten. Minseok and Yifan leave Yixing as they head upstairs. They find Jongdae’s unit huddled around already, chattering loudly. Constable Park greets them and Yifan waves back.

They lean by Jongdae’s desk as they wait for Taeyeon and the mystery detective to arrive. The doors to Taeyeon’s office opens and then she comes down the stairs, followed by a man Yifan knows only too well. He hears Jongdae and Minseok gasping, along with a handful of people who have been here for a long time. He feels all of their eyes on them but Yifan can’t care. His gaze is fixed on the man standing beside Taeyeon, avoiding his gaze.

_ Junmyeon.  _ Junmyeon is back in Hangu-nam. Hope, remorse, guilt all fight for dominance and yet Yifan can’t tear his gaze away from his husband (can he still call Junmyeon that?). Junmyeon looks different, tired. His eye bags are prominent and his skin lacks the peachy glow Yifan remembers (and was always so utterly fascinated by). His heart clenches in worry thinking if Junmyeon’s health is okay. Junmyeon’s hair is dark and pushed back, almost brushing his collar and Yifan swallows. Junmyeon always looked so good in his natural hair colour. But right now, despite how obviously handsome he is, Junmyeon looks sickly and Yifan can’t help but wonder why.

Junmyeon finally meets his eyes when Taeyeon is done introducing the new recruits. The old colleagues all briefly shake his hand and welcome him back. Jongdae is introduced to Junmyeon and they share some words. Jongdae was just a constable-in-training when Junmyeon left so he knew of Junmyeon even if Junmyeon didn’t. When it is Minseok and Yifan’s turn, Junmyeon freezes. So does Yifan, and they just stare at each other for a second before Minseok pulls Junmyeon in for a hug and pats his back, “Good to see you back Junmyeon. A New Years’ card would have been nice, you asshole.” Minseok worked here when Junmyeon started, so they knew each other fairly well. Minseok was even invited to the wedding and was there when Junmyeon left, seeing him off since Yifan couldn’t bring himself to.

Junmyeon laughs but Yifan can hear the tremble in his voice. When Junmyeon comes to stand in front of Yifan, everyone holds their breath. Yifan doesn’t know what he wants to do—keep it professional and shake hands or throw all formality to the wind and pull him into his arms and ask how he is? He had always wanted Junmyeon back but right now, as he looks at Junmyeon and his impassive face, he knows he cannot ask for that. So, he chooses to be formal and extends a hand. Junmyeon takes it and Yifan swallows when he feels the small hand slipping into his large one. Memories of youth and countless seasons spent with laced hands fills his mind and he has to focus on Junmyeon’s collar as he says, “Good to see you again, Mye-Detective Kim.”

Junmyeon nods, lightly squeezing Yifan’s hand and then taking it away. “It is nice to see you again Dr. Wu.”

The detectives and sergeants from the other departments leave and Junmyeon gets down to business.

Junmyeon walks up to the white board and Jongdae joins him. He starts speaking, his voice firm and clear, “I have read through all three case files and the forensic reports. It seems we do have a serial killer in our hands. The common factor is obviously the poisoning and the signs of restrain found on their bodies. This indicates they have been probably kept somewhere before their deaths. The perp may have kidnapped them or they may have willingly come with them. Now, the first task would be to reach all the victim’s friends and families and interview them properly. Sergeant Kim here has done preliminary interviews, but I want all available units to head to the towns and ask around. Sometimes, people may not talk to their parents, so speak to neighbours and friends.

“The next order of business would be to see if this has happened before or not.” Someone raises their hand, and Junmyeon nods at them, “Yes?”

It is Constable Jung Yoonoh, who asks, “What should we be looking for since I did do a search and I didn’t find any murders were people were missing their fingers.”

Junmyeon shakes his head. “Do not look only for that. Widen your research, look at poisoning deaths. In and around here. Try to compile as many cases as you possibly can, but look closer mostly at unsolved ones. Maybe the perp didn’t chop off fingers before.”

Chaeyoung raises her hand next. “Sir, what do we tell the civilians?”

Taeyeon jumps in, “Leave that to me and DI Kim. We will be holding a press conference within a couple of days and let the town know. But till then you are not allowed to talk to any reporters or even your family members. If I find a single word leaked to the papers, I will find you and suspend you.”

All the younger officers swallow and look on terrified at Taeyeon’s threat. They know she will come through with that. Junmyeon clears his throat and says, “All right then, you are dismissed. Sergeant Kim and I will be waiting for your reports within forty eight hours.”

The constables disperse and Junmyeon turns to Jongdae, “In my office, sergeant. You will tell me everything you have discovered.”

Minseok straightens up and grins, “Come visit the dungeons if you need us!”

Yifan gives Junmyeon a brief nod as he turns around and walks towards the elevators. He hears Minseok following him. The doors open and neither of them speak and Yifan appreciates it. His head is buzzing and his heart hasn’t stopped beating like it is on something. The doors open and Yifan lasts only till they reach their office. As soon as the office door shuts, Yifan slides down the wall and curls into himself.

Minseok has been there when Junmyeon left, he has seen what it did to Yifan, so the latter doesn’t find any shame in having a meltdown in front of him. He hears Minseok crouch down in front of him and feels one of his hand land gently on his knees. His voice is soft as he asks, “Yifan?”

Yifan doesn’t look up but he can feel his chest tightening and his lungs trying to work harder to push air in. Minseok grabs his wrists and tries again, “Hey, Yifan, look at me, come on.” Yifan looks up but his vision is blurred with the tears pooling in his eyes. Minseok whispers, “Okay, breathe with me, come on.” Minseok inhales and exhales slowly, “Deep breaths, deep breaths.”

Yifan tries his best to follow and slowly, he matches his breathing with Minseok, and the sudden panic attacks ebbs. His lungs function properly again and he leans back against the wall. Minseok sits down in front of him, his thumbs rubbing circles on the insides of Yifan’s wrists as he asks, “Better now?”

Yifan nods, scrubbing his face. He mumbles, “I thought, I thought if I ever saw him again, it wouldn’t hurt this much, but it does.”

Minseok’s heart swells with sympathy for his friend. He suddenly thinks about the days after Junmyeon left. Yifan has quit his job at the hospital suddenly and Minseok, when he learnt of it, sent Baekhyun to check on him. When the younger returned to say Yifan was unconscious on the floor, Minseok had thought up the worst possible thing but Yifan was just passed out drunk. He was a mess and if it wasn’t for him and Baekhyun, he wonders how Yifan would have survived. 

Minseok pushed Yifan into therapy at the hospital with Dr. Bang, and ever-so slowly, Minseok saw Yifan getting better. Minseok knows Yifan isn’t back to his former self, probably never will be but he accepted the job when Minseok offered it. Minseok needed an extra hand anyway and a year of rigorous training was enough for Yifan to learn the ins and outs of forensic pathology. Five years has passed since then and they never heard from Junmyeon, so he understands why this hit Yifan so hard.

(But he also noted the guarded expression on Junmyeon’s face, the front he was putting to not look at Yifan for too long. Minseok knows this has to be just as hard for Junmyeon too.)

Thus, he carefully chooses his words next, “Yifan, perhaps, this is a good thing.” When Yifan sends him an incredulous look, Minseok shakes his head, “No listen. This could give you the closure you need, or the new beginning you need. Either way, whatever happens, let it. And, go visit Yongguk if it gets too much, okay? Promise me.”

Yifan nods, “I will, I promise.”

“Back to work, eh? But if you don’t feel like it, I won’t cut your pay if you take a day off.”

Yifan smiles as he gets to his feet. Minseok stands up too and Yifan shakes his head, “I am fine now. I guess, you are right. I can’t avoid Junmyeon anymore I suppose.”

 

As soon as Jongdae leaves, Junmyeon slumps into the chair and looks up at the ceiling, desperately fighting the rising frustration within. Tears prick the back of his eyes and he is too afraid to let them fall. Yifan, he can only think of Yifan. The phantom warmth of his large, warm hand still lingers on Junmyeon’s and he can’t understand why he aches to hold Yifan’s hand again.

(Yifan, his Yifan—once upon a time. Sweet, kind, dependable Yifan. What a ruckus they made, didn’t they, when they got together? The gentle giant and the town freak?) 

He looked well, better than Junmyeon, he thinks. Yifan’s cheeks looked fuller, his hair was different and Junmyeon wonders since when he started wearing glasses. The round, thin rimmed frame looked good on him. His eyes, his deep, dark eyes seemed to still stare right into Junmyeon, and he can’t forget how that was like. 

Minseok, Yifan and a few others were all friends once upon a time. They all went to the same schools and Junmyeon remembers the day clearly when in his junior year, Yifan, after winning a match, swooped him up and suddenly kissed him. Junmyeon always knew he had a crush on his friend, so the sudden kiss was surprising. But then Yifan confessed and said it wasn’t a spur of the moment thing, not all of it, and that he has always liked Junmyeon too. Junmyeon was over the moon.

School, college, Junmyeon’s police training—they were together through it all. Then, at Junmyeon’s twenty-fourth birthday, Yifan proposed and there was never any reason to say no. They were in love and nothing could tear them apart.

But of course, all good things must come to an end. So did Junmyeon and Yifan after three years of marriage, after ten years of a relationship. Like the coward Junmyeon was, he couldn’t suggest the divorce because deep inside his heart, he never wanted to let Yifan go. And Yifan didn’t mention it either, so one day it all ended without actually ending.

There was not a day in the last five years that Yifan didn’t cross his mind no matter how hard he tried to not think about him. Junmyeon didn’t change his number, didn’t delete Yifan’s number either. But then he never mustered the courage to text or call Yifan either. Each birthday, each anniversary would bring Junmyeon more pain and he would look at his phone without touching it hoping for something.

But then again, Yifan didn’t really try to stop him when he left. So, why would he try to contact him? And it was Junmyeon’s idea to cut all contact anyway. And knowing Yifan, Junmyeon should have known the older would listen. 

He presses the palm of his hands into his eyes and takes a few deep breaths. He can do this. He can solve this case and face Yifan while at it. He knows Yifan wouldn’t completely understand and Junmyeon can’t make him, but maybe this is his second chance.

A second chance for what? For severing all ties or trying to fix whatever remains? Junmyeon doesn’t know and not knowing hurts him, a lot.

Junmyeon sighs and decides to go outside and take some air. He has been stuck inside for a long time now. He leaves his office and finds the back stairs easily enough. He opens the door and finds the fire escape still in place. He walks out on to it, and the cold, wet November air is shocking to his system but something about the cold, crisp air refreshes him too, so he leans on the railing and takes huge gulps of air.

Suddenly, he hears a low buzzing, like a mosquito buzzing but lower. Junmyeon cups his ear and shuts his eyes wondering if his brain is finally melting or not. When he opens his eyes, his gaze lands on a young man on the ground below, looking up at Junmyeon. At first, Junmyeon thinks it is just a normal human being but then he sees the third degree burns on one side of his face. Junmyeon gasps—it is a ghost.

Fear grips him and he curls his fingers around the metal railing. His knuckles turn white and his nails embed deep into his palms. His breath falls short but he can’t look away. The ghost is looking right back at him, but his gaze holds no malice, no emotions at all in fact. It is blank, even though Junmyeon is looking at him, kind of acknowledging his presence. 

He doesn’t know how long he keeps staring at the spectre, but suddenly, he disappears. Junmyeon releases the breath he didn’t know he was holding in and lets go of his grip on the railing. The thing is gone for now but Junmyeon knows he will see some more. There were always too many things that shouldn’t be alive in Hangu-nam, and he knows it only got worse five years ago. He will just see them more often now. He just needs to not let them touch him anyway and he thinks he will be fine.

 

In the underground lab of South River University, Dr. Kim Jongin is hunched over his computer, squinting at his screen, finding it hard to believe the things he is reading. The specs are off the charts. Ever since the minor earthquake five years ago, the energy has been building and building and it seems that it might have reached its highest peak. Or perhaps Jongin is wrong.

He sits back and blinks the dryness out of his eyes. He takes his glasses of and the low vibration of his phone startles him a little. He picks it up to find his husband calling. He smiles down at the picture he has chosen to save as Lu Han’s contact before accepting the call and saying, “Hey, love.”

“Hey love me later. Are you coming home for dinner or not?” Lu Han asks.

Jongin laughs, shutting his laptop off, not before saving all the reports. “Yes, love, I am. I swear. I am packing my things as we speak.”

“Uh huh,” Lu Han says and Jongin knows he is rolling his eyes. “Xuxi misses you at dinner Nini.”

“Yep,” Jongin grins. “See you both in a few. I love you.”

“Hm, I love you too. I better see your stupid face within fifteen minutes!”

“Yes sir!”

Lu Han disconnects the call and Jongin does as he said. He packs his things up and puts the rest of the reports back in the locker. He locks his office and as he leaves, a few people bid him good night. He reaches the garage and soon, he starts driving for home.

A year ago, he got the offer from this university for a permanent position and an opportunity to conduct his experiments. He, of course, went to Lu Han first and put forward the news. Lu Han looked up Hangu-nam online and said yes to Jongin taking the job up. Apparently, Lu Han fell in love with the place at first sight. He even found the right school for their son Yukhei when he would start, and Jongin’s mind was made. Beijing’s air was polluted and the move to Hangu-nam and it’s fresh sea air did wonders for the whole Kim family. Yukhei was ecstatic to find he had woods, hills, the river and sea to see and play in when he grows older. Lu Han was happy too and was happier still when he got to own the hotel, which had been a lifelong dream for the former manager.

They settled in fairly well in and life was good here. Yukhei will start school next year and so far, his grasp on Korean is getting better. He still talks more in Mandarin with his parents. When they adopted the little whirlwind four years ago, they did not know what they are signing up for but Jongin cannot imagine his life without Yukhei and Lu Han.

He reaches home within fifteen minutes and as soon as he parks his car at the back of the wing that contains their personal living quarters, he fears footsteps crunching on the gravel. He opens the car to find Yukhei running up to him and he catches the kid at the right moment and swings him up. Yukhei giggles and when Jongin tucks him against his chest, plants a big, wet kiss on his father’s cheek. Jongin smiles, his son’s impish gleam endearing him to no extent. He soon covers every inch of Yukhei’s face in kisses as well and the child cries, “Appa!”

Jongin stops and leaves his things in the car, locking it behind him as he enters the house. He finds Lu Han in the kitchen, stirring a pot and the sound of his shoes hitting the floor makes him turn around. Yukhei says, “Baba! Appa came home for dinner!”

Lu Han smiles, “I see he did.”

Yukhei wiggles in Jongin’s hold and the older puts him down. Yukhei bounds up to his other dad and makes a face when he sees the dish of spinach on the counter. Jongin removes his shoes and Lu Han throws his arms open for a hug that Jongin happily indulges in. He presses a kiss to the side of Lu Han’s neck and squeezes his waist before he leans back. 

Lu Han beams up at him and returns to the pot. He turns the heat off and while wiping his hands down his apron, he says, “Oh Nini, we have a guest with us today.”

Yukhei chirps, “Yes appa. He is police!”

Jongin frowns, “Police?”

Lu Han explains, “He got transferred here, and since he is going to be a permanent resident here soon, I thought inviting  him over and getting to know him could be a good thing. Doesn’t hurt to befriend law enforcement, you know.”

Jongin rolls his eyes at that but nods anyway. He steals a kiss from Lu Han and drops another on Yukhei’s head before he heads upstairs to freshen up for dinner. Lu Han must have been reading that mystery novel that Baekhyun gave him where a murder happens in a hotel, Jongin is certain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also, Wheein as Minseok's wife was my sister's idea. I asked her to say the first name of a female idol who would look cute with Minseok and she said Wheein, and now that I think of it, that would be cute lol
> 
> oh, in a way, I think I want to show the three marriages in this fic and how their dynamics work to aid the krisho development. So, heads up, there would be quite a bit of Lukai and Chanbaek at times.


	4. Sign

Junmyeon walks towards the annexe Lu Han had pointed an hour ago, inviting him for dinner. Junmyeon wanted to refuse but relented when he realised he needed some distraction from the case and the apparition he saw. The hotel is a large building with thirty rooms, and Junmyeon supposes it could be called a boutique hotel. As he was taking a warm shower, he remembered this place used to be owned by this elderly couple whose daughters were all settled abroad. He thinks he came here once for a party and some underage drinking.

Junmyeon thinks Lu Han has done splendid with the redecorations. It looks sleek, modernised but still cozy. Junmyeon can see the forest and the creek from his room, and right now, he follows the creek beside a stoned path and finally reaches the family home which is nestled at the back of the main building. The two buildings are connected through a bridge, but Junmyeon wanted to take the long way.

When he comes to the smaller wing, Junmyeon realises he  _ has  _ been here before. A memory of the first taste of bitter beer, a warm summer night and fireflies flashes in his mind and he remembers that he came here with Yifan, but they weren’t together then. They were still only friends and Junmyeon remembers how he fell asleep on Yifan’s shoulder on their ride back in somebody’s car. His heart lurches and he feels the familiar tightening sensation in his chest. 

The door to the house opens and Lu Han smiles at him, “Oh hey detective Kim! I thought it was you standing outside! Come in!”

Junmyeon walks up the steps and enters the residence. Warm wood covers the walls and floors, and a cheery fire roars in the fireplace. A man is kneeling in front of it and Junmyeon reckons that has to be the husband, Jongin. The man gets to his feet and steps towards Junmyeon, extending a hand. Junmyeon takes it as the man introduces himself, “I am Kim Jongin, I teach geophysics at the university.”

“Nice to meet you mister Kim, I am Kim Junmyeon, detective inspector,” Junmyeon smiles.

A small boy walks up to them and announces, “And I am Kim Yukhei! You can call me Xuxi!”

Junmyeon frowns down at the newcomer and Lu Han laughs, picking the boy up. “This is our son.”

Lu Han comes to stand beside Jongin and with Yukhei in the former’s lap, Junmyeon feels something shift inside him. He thinks about a similar future he had wanted and then ruined it single handedly. He pushes the morose thoughts to the back and watches Yukhei crawl down his father’s legs and take his hand with a grin, “Come on, mister big policeman, I will show you around!”

Junmyeon doesn’t get to say anything to that as Yukhei drags him towards the living room and shows him the pictures on the wall (all of the family and some of the Kim-Lu wedding). The child is showing off his toys when Jongin enters and gently scolds his son, “Xuxi, come on, let your mister policeman breathe.”

Yukhei pouts and Junmyeon chuckles, waving his hands, “It is alright mister Kim, I don’t mind. He is a lovely child.”

Yukhei’s eyes widen and gleams, “He called me lovely.”

Jongin rolls his eyes, “Now you inflated his ego detective.”

Yukhei frowns, glancing between his father and the grinning policeman, “What is inflate? What is ego?”

The adults laugh at his confusion about the new Korean words his appa used and he doesn’t find it funny. However, Lu Han calls them to the dining room immediately after, so they all trudge out of the living room. As they all sit down, helping themselves to the rice and the side dishes, Jongin says, “Please call me Jongin, mister Kim makes me feel like I am back at the university.”

Junmyeon chuckles as he picks up his chopsticks, “Sure, you must drop the detective too. I am not back at the police station either!”

Dinner passes well and Junmyeon learns Lu Han is four years older than Jongin and he used to work as a manager at a five star hotel in China. He learns Yukhei can speak two languages at his young age already and that he wants to be a firefighter when he grows up. He also learns that Jongin is doing research on the Kang-Lee Fissure and that starts a conversation that lasts beyond dinner.

Junmyeon says, “Oh yes, I remember the earthquake. I was here then.” The excruciating pain, the night at the hospital and the pair of eyes not believing him is what he remembers well.

Lu Han, who has joined them in the living room with the wine, asks, “You were here?”

Junmyeon realises his slip then, but he decides to come clean, “I used to live here. I was born here.”

Jongin is taken aback and he puts his glass down as he asks, “So, that earthquake, did anything like that ever happen before? I am going through all official records but sometimes, very small quakes are never recorded.”

Junmyeon juts his lip out as he shakes his head, “No, I can’t remember.”

“So, the earthquake five years ago—you then know about the giant fissure that was created. I have been looking at it, gathering samples over the last year, and I was surprised to find that it is actually older than five years!”

Junmyeon frowns, “But if that was so, I would have at least heard it as an urban legend or something, and there are way too many of them.”

“That is what is baffling me Junmyeon. The fissure and its appearance makes no sense. Neither does the electromagnetic energy around it.”

Jongin goes off on a tangent of electromagnetism that frankly bounces off Junmyeon’s head even if he tries to pay attention. Lu Han stops his husband, offering an excuse on Junmyeon’s behalf. Junmyeon sends Lu Han a smile who winks at him—a certain solidarity established at being laymen when it comes to advanced science. Junmyeon soon bids them goodbye and makes his way back to his rooms through the interior connection. Lu Han had turned all the lights on the bridge for him. The bridge goes through the garden and Junmyeon stops for a second to look up at the stars over the tall tips of the evergreen trees. He smiles, he missed this star-studded sky a lot in Seoul, in Gwangju before that. 

He hears a rustle to his side and the same low buzzing noise hits him. Then, there beside him, stands an old woman with sunken eyes, ashen skin and her jaw hanging open. She is trying to form words, her fingers reaching for Junmyeon and he steps back, his heart thudding in fear. When she does touch him, he is surprised by how  _ real  _ she feels. Usually when ghosts touch him, it feels like his hand is submerged into icy water but this woman’s fingers actually  _ rest  _ on his skin and he can feel the papery texture of her skin on his hand. The touch is still cold but he can feel her skin and it makes his guts coil.

And then the impossible happens. The ghosts speaks, “It didn’t happen like that, it didn’t.” Her voice is lower than a whisper and the words feel like they are blowed by the wind as soon as they leave her lips. But a different fear grips Junmyeon now— _ the ghosts never talk. _

Junmyeon starts running then and he doesn’t look back to see what happens to the lady. He didn’t see or feel anything when she touched him and he can’t care about that. He runs all the way to his room and locks the door behind him. He doesn’t know if they can get him through the walls but he will be sleeping with iron under his pillow tonight, just like his grandmother taught him. 

 

Baekhyun closes the shop entrance and walks towards the back, climbing the stairs to the flat. He opens the door to the delicious smell of pork belly frying and he finds Chanyeol in the kitchen throwing ingredients into the pan. Baekhyun watches his husband’s broad back, his muscles shifting under the muscle tee he is wearing and his heart twists. He feels guilty, he feels horrible at days but he knows he cannot stop his heart wanting what it wants.

He takes his shoes off and the sound of keys hitting the small glass bowl on the top of the shoe rack alerts Chanyeol, who turns around with a small smile and says, “Hey, all locked up?”

“Yeah, and all the soya sauce stock has been shelved and entered. The white bean paste is still left.”

“Don’t worry, I will get to it tomorrow,” Chanyeol says and then returns to the food he was making, “Anyway, pork and veggies with noodles okay with you?”

“Yep, I will go change.”

Baekhyun walks towards his room and decides to take a shower before eating. As he rummages through his closet, he chuckles, feeling bitter to his very core. There is he is, Byun Baekhyun, thirty one years old and married to Park Chanyeol because it was the right thing to do six years ago. They have shared this house for six years but have never shared a bed. Never shared a kiss beside the one at the wedding. Sometimes he lets Chanyeol hold his hand, but that is it. Baekhyun cannot give himself to Chanyeol, can’t love him and Chanyeol  _ knows _ .

Baekhyun pulls at the roots of his hair and he wants to scream. Why did he say yes to Chanyeol when all his life he has ever only loved one man? The one man that can never be his, no matter how much he tries or wishes.

But then there is Chanyeol’s behaviour. Wouldn’t anyone else leave their spouses when they shout at them on their wedding night for touching them? Wouldn’t anyone else leave if they knew their spouse wanted and loved another? Baekhyun doesn’t understand the man he calls husband and it angers him. Chanyeol’s passivity and acceptance angers him, makes him see red at times and sometimes he just wants to shake the taller man to know why he is the way he is.

Baekhyun does pull himself into the bathroom and washes his hair. He returns to the open living area as Chanyeol puts plates of hot noodles on the table. He sends Baekhyun a smile and takes his seat. Baekhyun takes his seat as well and picks his chopsticks up. Chanyeol starts talking about a customer almost ruining the display one of their employees put up and Baekhyun tries to listen—it is the least he can do.

Chanyeol’s eyes gleam and his large ears poke out. His dimples appear every time he smiles or laughs and Baekhyun wishes he could feel  _ something. _

 

Yifan enters his office and almost drops his coffee when he sees a stranger sitting on the couch. The man looks no older than twenty three perhaps and his sitting with his spine so straight that it makes Yifan stop hunching immediately. He clears his throat, “Excuse me, who are you?”

The man moves, slightly startled and jumps to his feet. He bows, “I am Oh Sehun, I was sent from the institute to assist this department. I am currently pursuing a specialised course on blood splatter analysis.”

Yifan nods, “You do know this is more like a desk job? You will be mostly assisting with the paperwork?”

Sehun smiles, “Yes sir, I am aware. I would just love to see the way you and Dr. Kim work. You and Dr. Kim came to our college once for a lecture and I have been a fan since. I have read your brilliant article on water and the effect it has on decomposition. I am still studying, so this is just to pay rent really.”

Yifan looks unconvinced but he nods. He chews the inside of his cheek wondering where to put this guy, so he says, “Okay, listen, I am not sure where you would be sitting since no one informed me of this.”

The door opens again and Minseok steps in with the bag of breakfast for himself and Yifan. His gaze lands on Sehun and he smiles, “Ah, the assistant is here!”

Yifan whirls around, scowling, “You knew?”

“Oh yeah, right, I forgot to tell you, sorry.”

Yifan keeps frowning but follows Minseok and Sehun as the latter shows the newcomer the desk already selected for him. It is at the cubicles were the junior techs work and Youngho takes to Sehun at once, whining, “Oh my god, someone finally my age!”

Sehun meets everyone in the team from the blood analysis to the trace. He takes his seat finally and Jungkook from Yixing’s department and Youngho teach him all the programs and the formats they use. Yifan knows it will take the guy some time and he can’t tell how much he trusts either Youngho or Jungkook with that but it will have to do unfortunately.

Jongdae arrives with a body that is not associated with the serial killings a couple of hours later and as Minseok starts the Y incision, Jongdae asks, having pulled Yifan behind the glass, “You okay hyung?”

Yifan frowns; Jongdae clears his throat and his face is flushed as he explains, “You and uh, my new partner.”

Yifan sighs, his shoulders dropping. He hasn’t seen Junmyeon today—he hasn’t seen Junmyeon anywhere in town either. “I am okay, well as okay I will be, I suppose.”

Jongdae smiles, his hand pressing Yifan’s shoulder, “Could be a second chance, you know.”

Yifan scoffs, “What is up with all of you? Watching too many feel-good romcoms?”

Jongdae frowns, removing his hand, “Hyung, don’t give up. He is back and it could mean something, and no,” he shakes his head when he sees Yifan about to open his mouth, “You don’t know anything.”

Minseok’s voice floats from the intercom, “Okay, her pacemaker is busted. Where was she found again?”

Jongdae answers, “By the woods near the South River university.”

Minseok looks up from the body and both men can see his frown through the mask and the safety goggles, “How the hell one’s pacemaker gets zapped near a wooded area? Pacemakers don’t go poof like that.”

Jongdae frowns, “Is this a homicide then?”

Yifan shakes his head as he says, “Unless the magnetic force is great, like really dangerous…”

Jongdae scratches his chin, “I will ask around then.”

Minseok nods as he takes his gloves off, “Go check with the university. I have heard the new physics department sometimes conducts experiments with magnets and all. Poor woman might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Jongdae nods and hurries off. Minseok joins Yifan and as he washes his hand, he says, “That brat isn’t wrong you know.”

Yifan crosses his arms, “About what?”

“About second chances,” Minseok smirks. He takes his suit off and looks at his watch, “Anyway, gotta go. Wheein has her monthly check up today. See you later!”

Minseok leaves before Yifan can formulate a response. He wonders, a second chance? Will Junmyeon give him that? 

 

The second briefing begins a day later in Junmyeon’s office and only Yoonoh and Jongdae are present with him. In the last two days, Junmyeon has dragged Jongdae and his desk inside his office. The space was big enough to put two desks opposite one another. Junmyeon and Jackson always worked together and in the same office, so he wasn’t used to go out of his office and look for his sergeant if he suddenly came across a revelation or needed to sound off when unravelling a knot. He also reduced Jongdae’s frequent “water breaks” that Junmyeon soon learnt were just Jongdae either gossiping with Constable Park or trying to flirt with Dr. Zhang. 

Yoonoh begins, “As you instructed, I spent the last two days combing through every case in the last ten years, and I have compiled a total of fifty five deaths from poisoning.”

Junmyeon picks up one printed copy of the list and frowns, “Well, we will have to narrow it down.”

“Already on it sir,” Yoonoh says as he opens his laptop and turns the screen towards Junmyeon and Jongdae, “So, keeping with the current pattern of young, healthy people from low income families, I have narrowed down ten people. Their deaths were ruled accidental or unsolved.”

Junmyeon looks through the list of ten names and he smiles at the young officer, “Good job constable. Keep this up and you may just make sergeant in a few years.”

Yoonoh reddens under the compliment while Jongdae mentally fumes at Junmyeon praising the younger. He is yet to receive such words of kindness from the officer. Junmyeon asks for a copy and Yoonoh quickly emails him one. Then, Jongdae and Junmyeon pore over it for some time. Junmyeon looks at the board in front of him where they had stuck the names and CODs of the victims, and he frowns.

**_D_ ** _ omoic acid _

**_E_ ** _ thanol _

**_F_ ** _ luoride  _

Junmyeon gasps, “Jongdae, tell me if you find any poisons starting with the English A, B and C.”

Jongdae scrolls down the list for a minute before speaking, “I have a death by ingesting antifreeze, another by buprenorphine and another by carbon monoxide.”

“Tell me if they were all young and healthy.”

“They were...sir, what are you trying to get at?”

Junmyeon pops the cap open of a marker and starts scribbling. Jongdae watches him write in English: Antifreeze, Buprenorphine, Carbon monoxide, Domoic acid, Ethanol, Fluoride. He draws a line under every first letter of each poison and then Jongdae sees it. He stands up fast enough to make the chair drag across the floor as he mutters, “They, they are all alphabetical…”

“Exactly,” Junmyeon mutters. “The earlier deaths—when did they happen?”

Jongdae looks back down at the computer screen and his eyes widen as his heart pounds a little bit harder, “All of them happened five years ago, they are all...unsolved.”

The marker slips from Junmyeon’s hands. He says, “Pull up their images Jongdae.”

Jongdae searches through the database and pulls up the photos of the three victims. Junmyeon feels like the ground is slipping under his feet as he looks at the images. He remembers the screams, the open mouths, the naked ghosts of two young men and a young woman. He saw them, he saw those victims. 

It makes sense now. Why when they touched him, he only felt fire in his veins, his stomach turning and his skin wanting to burn and melt off his body. The pain, he can remember how excruciating it was. It felt like he was being killed again and again. They showed up right at the moment when the earth split into two and the whole world shifted for Junmyeon alone. They were why he ended up in the hospital with water in his lungs. They were why he had to leave Yifan because Yifan with his brilliant, scientific mind, couldn’t grasp that the love of his life  _ could see ghosts.  _


	5. Don't Talk About It

The first breakthrough sends waves throughout the department. Even Jongdae gets all serious and forgets all about taking breaks as he dives deep into the archives. Their database has been digitised but physical evidence cannot be fed into computers, so Jongdae is on his way to the fifth floor when his phone goes off. He finds it is his partner calling.

“Wherever you are, come meet me at the parking lot. We have a case,” Junmyeon says.

“Another missing finger?” Jongdae asks.

“No, I don’t think so, get here! I don’t have a car.”

Jongdae takes the elevator down and finds his partner pacing in front of his motorbike. Jongdae hands him the extra helmet and puts his on. Junmyeon tells him where to go and within a few minutes, they are at the old, unused pier. Minseok and Yifan are already here, cordoning off the area around the victim.

Yifan and Junmyeon are both caught off guard when they find their gazes locking. Junmyeon looks away first since Jongdae whines, “Why are we here? We have three murders to solve!”

Junmyeon presses his lips in a line as he answers, “We were the only available unit on ground, so suck it up sergeant.”

Minseok is leaning over the body, a young woman this time with a clear stab wound in her heart. He is bagging her hands as he says, “Folks, her underwear is missing and there is blood on her inner thighs. Looks like sexual assault, though we would be running tests to make sure. There are marks of a fight on her arms and neck. ”

Seulgi, the tech on duty today, grumbles, “What a sick bastard.”

Yifan scribbles in his notebook as he hums, “Judging by the level of rigor mortis, and the temperature of twenty point fifty five degrees celsius, I would rest the TOD around ten hours.”

“So, somewhere during late last night, eleven or twelve?” Junmyeon muses, and then he gasps inaudibly when he realises he just spoke back to Yifan. He raises his head and keeps his expression neutral as he tells himself, _reminds_ himself, that right now they are not estranged husbands but professionals.

Yifan feels the same as he swallows down whatever emotions that are trying to claw out of his chest and nods. “Yes, that would be correct.”

Junmyeon feels a shiver down his spine, like someone slipped an ice cube down his shirt. He hears a low hum and then he looks over Yifan’s shoulder to find the ghost of the young woman looking straight at him. There are tears running down her face and her body is translucent—Junmyeon can see the old lighthouse through her figure. She steps closer to him and Junmyeon braces himself. 

Her fingers land on his hand and he feels like his hand just got dipped into cold, cold water. Since the specters are able to retain fresh memories, Junmyeon sees darkness behind his eyes and a sharp pain in his lower body. Then something sharp pierces his heart. He feels her pain, her feeling of betrayal but what surprises him is the surprise she felt, like she couldn’t convince herself this was happening. He realises she knew her attacker, probably trusted him too.

The ghost vanishes and when he opens his eyes, he finds Jongdae and Yifan looking at him, confused and concerned respectively. Jongdae asks, “You okay sir?”

Junmyeon nods, “Get her ID and then look at boyfriends, past and present, and any male acquaintances. Even family members.”

Jongdae pouts, “Wait, you think she got hurt by someone she knew?”

Junmyeon waves his hands, making a wide gesture. “Kim, I know you didn’t spend your teenage years here but horny teenagers come here to make out and do other unspeakable things here.” Junmyeon makes the grave mistake of glancing at Yifan when he says that and even though Yifan is looking down at his notes, Junmyeon sees the faint smile on his lips. “She probably came here with someone she trusted and she was probably not ready or willing but some people don’t understand consent, even if you have known them all your life.”

Jongdae doesn’t look entirely convinced but he does as told, so he puts the instructions down in his notebook. Meanwhile, Junmyeon watches the CSU put the body in a black bag and cart her onto the waiting van. He looks across the sea and the rocks jutting out of the grey waters. Yifan was smiling—and it makes Junmyeon smile too. He remembers coming here with Yifan after all.

It was senior year and Junmyeon was surprised by a sudden visit from Yifan, who came down all the way from his college to meet him. They came here and that was the day Junmyeon learnt he loved the feeling of Yifan’s big, soft hands on his bare skin.

A seabird squawks and it breaks the reverie. Junmyeon turns his head and comes face to face with a face that has almost no skin or flesh left on it. Junmyeon bites down his lip to stop the scream and his eyes widen with fear because he can sense the energy rolling out of this _thing_. The skeletal body with only one bloodshot eye and exposed teeth has a malevolent aura and Junmyeon almost gags. He takes a step back and he looks down the body of the apparition and he is surprised when he sees the thing is wearing clothes he cannot place in this century or the last one.

Junmyeon blinks and suddenly, the thing is gone. Jongdae pokes his shoulder and asks again, “You alright sir?”

“Yeah, headache, skipped breakfast,” Junmyeon lies.

Jongdae grins, “I think there’s the McDonald’s is close by. I could do with some hashbrowns.”

Junmyeon lets Jongdae drive him to the fast food restaurant. He doesn’t even order food, his appetite gone, so he settles for some coffee while Jongdae buys himself more than enough hashbrowns. As they head back to the station, Junmyeon gets stuck inside his head.

In his return to his birthplace, he noticed a few things: one, the spirits don’t work the same way it did in Gwangju or Seoul. Two, he keeps hearing this noise every time a spectre appears. And three, Yifan still looks at him with pity. When Yifan asked for an explanation in that hospital room, Junmyeon told him why, told him everything and what did Yifan say?

 _“Love, maybe you need a psychiatrist. People_ cannot _see ghosts, they aren’t real.”_

If something was indeed wrong with his brain, Junmyeon would have happily agreed to any treatment. But he knows there wasn’t. This is hereditary, passed to him from his grandmother who got it from her mother and so on. Junmyeon’s late mother got bullied for having a shaman mother, and then Junmyeon received the same treatment for having a shaman grandmother. They called his grandmother a fake, called her abilities bogus, so Junmyeon’s abilities were never known to anyone but his grandmother.

So, when he told the second person in his life about his reality, he was ready to face ridicule from Yifan. But he couldn’t take the sympathy, the pity, the worry, the disbelief. Therefore, he packed his bags, grabbed the transfer to Gwangju with desperate hands and left, promising Yifan he would seek help. But the ghosts never left him.

 

 To say there is not an undercurrent of something in the room right now would be a gross understatement. It is a day later and Dr. Heo Solji is presenting her findings in the small meeting room in the basement to Junmyeon, Jongdae, Yifan and Minseok. Junmyeon and Yifan are sitting as far away from each other possible and Minseok rolled his eyes the moment he found his friends sitting at opposite corners of the room.

Solji, meanwhile, reads from the document in hand, “So, the DNA in the sperm found inside the victim Jung Eunyon matches her DNA.”

Jongdae gasps and whips his head around to look at Junmyeon in surprise, “So, it was family?”

Solji nods, “With a match of six point twenty five per cent, I would say the perp is a cousin, but like the son of the parents’ cousin.”

Junmyeon asks, “Like the son of the cousin of your dad?”

“Yes.”

Jongdae gasps again, “Oh my god, we have one! A cousin on the paternal grandmother’s side! I interviewed him last night and he seemed fishy when he couldn’t give me an alibi! But then his mother showed up and chased me away!”

Junmyeon gets to his feet, picking his jacket up. “Alright, sergeant, lets arrest our man.”

Jongdae has a light skip in his steps when he follows Junmyeon to the parking. Chaeyoung joins them too at the last moment when Junmyeon decides they may find the murder weapon in the house. They would be taking a patrol car this time but he has been blown away by how Junmyeon knew before the DNA tests even came back. Junmyeon had stressed to go interview the male cousins especially, and though the thought disgusted him (still does) that someone from her family could do that to her, he still went around all day yesterday interrogating all the names on his list.

They reach the house of Jung Nayeon and her son, Namseok. The son matches the profile completely. His mother is related to Eunyon’s father—the daughter of Eunyon’s grandmother’s sister.  The policemen find both mother and son outside, washing huge clay jars. Junmyeon and Jongdae flash their badges and Jongdae cuffs the son as Junmyeon reads his rights. Nayeon tries to stop them, scream at them and Junmyeon snaps, “As a woman, you should be ashamed you are trying to protect your son when he raped and killed Eunyon like that!”

Nayeon cries, falling to her knees, “No, no, he is my son! How could I, how could I…He didn’t mean to!”

Chaeyoung was searching through the rubble piled up at the corner of the courtyard and she yelps when she finds the murder weapon—a normal kitchen knife with blood spattered on the handle still. Junmyeon points at the knife and asks, “He didn’t mean to? Your son invited her to come with him so he could take advantage of her in an isolated place and then he killed her.”

Namseok doesn’t struggle in Jongdae’s firm hold as he crumbles and drops his head on his chest. Nayeon tries to stop them when they drag her son away. Chaeyoung holds her back and nods at the men, “Take him away, I will stay here and process the scene and bring back the evidence.”

In a couple of hours, Namseok gets booked under a non-bailable offence. The DA sets the date for an inquest and the evidence Chaeyoung brings gets documented and archived. The next morning, the blood on the handle matches with Eunyon’s and the crime is obvious with no way to get out of it.

Junmyeon and Jongdae work through the night writing up the reports and by the time they get free, they both realise it is eleven in the morning. Taeyeon tells them to go home and come back tomorrow. She said, “I don’t want two sleep deprived police officers in my station. Leave before I throw you out!”

Thus, Jongdae and Junmyeon tuck their tails between their legs and heed her warning. Jongdae offers to drop Junmyeon but he refuses. He is at the taxi stand, yawning, waiting for a taxi when a car rolls up in front of him. The windows are rolled down and it is Yifan, who smiles up at Junmyeon, a bit unsure as he asks, “Do you need a lift?”

Junmyeon is taken aback and he battles his mind for a minute before slowly nodding his head. Yifan leans across to open the passenger door and Junmyeon quietly sits down. Yifan starts driving and asks, “So, where to?”

“Ah, Explore Lodge,” Junmyeon says.

“Oh, Lu Han’s hotel,” Yifan nods.

The car moves through the high street, heading for the highway that leads to the woods. Junmyeon says, “Yes. You know him?”

Yifan grins, “When one Chinese moves in, he goes looking for other Chinese people!”

Junmyeon swallows when he finds Yifan grinning, his gums on display. It still makes his heart flop and he has to inhale deeply before finding the right words, “It’s a...nice place. I love how he changed the whole place.”

Yifan nods. They are out on the highway now, driving along the coastline. “Yeah. I went to a New Years’ party last year, I was amazed too. No ugly green walls.”

Junmyeon chuckles, “Yes, those were atrocious.”

Silence descends inside the car when they find no other words to continue the conversation. Several minutes pass like that and Junmyeon trains his gaze outside to see the sea rippling gently and the faint outlines of fish trawlers and some small boats in the horizon. The tension is obvious and both feel it. It chokes Junmyeon up and it makes Yifan’s heart ache. Used to be, they could talk about inane things for hours on end and now they are running out of things to say. Plus, there is the elephant in the room and Yifan wonders if he could take this opportunity to address it. He speaks, his voice gentle, “Junmyeon, I…”

Junmyeon recognises that voice. He remembers how Yifan used to save that voice for his patients, for little kids who needed shots or adults who needed reassurance. He rubs his face and sighs, “Yifan, listen, I know. But right now, I need to eat and then sleep, so my brain’s all fucked up. We have to talk, we need to talk and we will. Just not now, please.”

“Okay,” Yifan exhales. Junmyeon is right, both of them are tired and they have been working for hours non-stop, so he leaves it for another day. Instead, he asks, “Can I ask how you are? What you were doing all these years?”

Junmyeon lies, “I, I am fine.”  He keeps on rambling, to not let Yifan hear the tremble in his voice, “Still get headaches and the asthma attacks are now a twice in a year thing. I was in Gwangju after I left, then Seoul. Hated the pollution there.” He looks at Yifan and admires the side profile, and asks, “And, and what have you been up to?”

Yifan chuckles, “Well, took up forensics as you see.”

Junmyeon mutters, “I, I didn’t think you would want to be anything else than a surgeon.”

Yifan gulps, choosing his next words carefully, “Well, learning a whole new science of medicine kept my mind off, uh, things. Still get to cut up things and sew them in place!”

Junmyeon laughs and catches Yifan glancing at him. He notices they are close to the property, so he says, “Okay, let me down here. You don’t need to take a U-turn if you drop me here.”

“No, I can—”

“It’s okay, Yifan, thank you.”

“Not a problem, Junmyeon.”

 Yifan kills the engine and his breath catches when Junmyeon turns his head to give him a small smile. He unbuckles his seat belt and Yifan smiles back at him, his heart suddenly warming up to see the familiar smile. Yifan stays till Junmyeon unlatches the gate and starts walking down the path towards the hotel.

Yifan drives down the road and finds the bend that takes him back to the main town. There is the smile still stuck on his face. Junmyeon smiled at him, properly. His eyes were gentle and his cheeks lifted up the way Yifan adored, and suddenly, he gets reminded just how much he still loves Junmyeon.

 

Junmyeon walks up to the hotel and he can’t help but smile. He managed to stay in a car with Yifan and not have a whole breakdown. He is almost proud of himself. And he even got a smile in return. His heart feels lighter, and he shakes his head, trying to stop his heart from behaving like he is falling in love with Yifan all over again.

There is a mini truck parked in front of the hotel and his good mood doesn’t last very long when a man exits the front door and comes to a pause in front of him. Junmyeon recognises him: it is Baekhyun. And Baekhyun recognises him too. His eyes widen and he almost drops the basket he is carrying as he gapes at Junmyeon with his mouth open. Baekhyun stutters, “You-you are back…”

Junmyeon frowns, “Yes, I am.”

Baekhyun shakes his head and throws the empty basket into the back of the truck. He points at Junmyeon and scowls, “What are you doing here?”

Junmyeon’s frown deepens. He never liked Baekhyun, even if the younger hung out with them all the time. “New cop in town Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun gnashes his teeth and steps closer. His gaze dripping with hatred for Junmyeon and the latter realises why. The younger says, “You, how dare you return like this? Do you know what you did to Yifan? You should be ashamed! If you think you can just return to this town, to him and not—”

Junmyeon steps forward, anger simmering in his blood. He shoves Baekhyun back and growls, “Byun Baekhyun, you seem to forget that we are still married. And what I do or not do is none of your business.” He steps to the side, his head now splitting with pain as he says, “If you are still holding on to the hope that you can make him yours, then I would say that even if the whole world changes, you will remain a pathetic piece of shit.”

Baekhyun gasps as he turns around, fists clenched at his side. He grits out, his body trembling, “What the fuck—”

“Shut up Byun. If you think I never knew you were in love with my husband, you would be very, very wrong,” Junmyeon speaks and parts with this shot as he steps inside the hotel. He doesn’t look back to see what Baekhyun’s reaction is. His head is now hurting and it feels like someone is hammering nails into the back of his skull.

Baekhyun was jealous of him, always. When Yifan and Junmyeon got together, Junmyeon saw the way Baekhyun looked at Yifan. It didn’t take him long to understand Baekhyun had feelings for Yifan. His marriage to Park Chanyeol was a sham and Junmyeon knows it. He doesn’t know if they are still married or not, but a sudden possessiveness grabs Junmyeon. He has been gone for five years—for all he knows, Baekhyun could have been successful.

Meanwhile, outside the hotel, Baekhyun kicks the rear tires in anger and frustration. Why is Kim Junmyeon back? He, he is the only one who cares about Yifan. Junmyeon doesn’t. He _left_! How dare he say all those things! Call him a “pathetic piece of shit”? He is not. He just wants one thing, and one thing only.

He doesn’t know when it started but one day he suddenly starting liking his senior. The feelings grew and grew and it didn’t stop even when Junmyeon and Yifan started dating. He hoped for years they would break up, that he would finally have his chance. But it never came. They got married and he cried in a bar that night. However, Junmyeon left five years ago and suddenly, Baekhyun thought maybe his chance was finally here. Sure, he was married to Chanyeol but his _husband_ just accepts it, let’s Baekhyun trample all over him like he is a doormat. Nothing changed in the five years because Yifan still only sees him as a friend, yet Baekhyun had hope. But now, with Junmyeon back, his hopes are crushed all over again.

He hops back on his truck and bites down on his lip as he cries. He knows they are still married. But he cannot stop himself from being in love with Wu Yifan, he just can’t.


	6. No Other

Yifan returns to the office next morning and finds Sehun already on his desk, furiously typing away. Yifan raises an eyebrow and walks over to the young man. Sehun looks up when he hears footsteps and grins, “Morning sir!”

“You are early, Oh,” Yifan frowns. “You just started here, no need to run yourself down quite so soon.”

“It is okay sir,” Sehun smiles, his cheeks colouring a little. “I just wanted to finish everything up before the weekend. I am not on call like the others, so.”

Yifan smiles, “Right. There’s that.” He is about to leave when Sehun slowly gets up from his desk, his expression sheepish. Yifan tilts his head and asks, “Yes?”

Sehun fumbles, picking at the strap of his watch as he says, “Can I, can I join you guys one day for an autopsy? I wanted to see how a real life autopsy works.”

Yifan smiles, “Of course, not a problem.”

Sehun’s wish becomes true within hours when just before lunch time, dispatch calls through with a naked female body with her pointer finger on her left hand missing. Since Sehun was mostly done with his entries, Yifan took the new guy with him. Minseok stays back since he had a body to sew up.

Sehun puts on the bunny suit and wears his glasses and gloves. The body was found under a bridge by a student bunking classes. Sehun watches as Yifan first bags her hands to preserve her fingerprints and possible trace under nails. The other tech, Sooyoung, takes images around the body and since the ground is dry under the bridge, she takes samples of the soil. Yifan next takes the temperature and looks at Sehun, “Pop quiz kid, the body is warm and stiff, the temperature reading is twenty nine point five degree celsius, what does that mean?”

Sehun scowls before hesitatingly answering, “Uh, the death occurred between three to eight hours?”

Yifan smiles up at him, “Yup, you are right.” He finds a car stopping by the edge of the crime scene and Junmyeon steps out of the patrol car with Yoonoh. Yifan sends him a smile and receives one back. Sehun glances between his boss and the detective, a little bemused at the exchange. The smile looked somehow intimate.

Yifan rises to his full height and nods at Junmyeon, “This is new. We found the body at the six to eight hour mark.”

“Which means our killer is getting brave,” Junmyeon scowls. He sends a confused glance at Sehun, who bows and introduces himself, “I am Oh Sehun, assistant to the CSU. I am still studying so sir brought me out on for some real life experience.”

“He did, huh,” Junmyeon smiles, his eyes crinkling. “Good to meet you.” He turns his attention to Yifan again and asks, “Anything else?”

“Pointer finger on left hand missing and rope burns on hand and feet. There is slight irritation around her mouth but I cannot say anything without proper testing.”

Yifan and Junmyeon look at each for a moment, and Yifan quickly tears his gaze away and back to the body. Sehun noticed this odd exchange too and it confuses him a little all over again.

 

Minseok watches Sehun like a hawk as the latter stitches the body they just autopsied. They found severe irritations and internal bleeding along the oesophagus, stomach and intestines. The pathologists concluded that the poison was ingested like the previous ones. All tissue samples were sent to Yixing to analyse and the trace lab is still checking all the soil samples.

Sehun finishes and he almost raises his bloody gloves to wipe the sweat off his forehead before he remembers. Minseok comes closer and peers down at the stitches he made and nods, “Pretty neat, I’d say. You did okay.”

Sehun grins beneath mask and bows several times at receiving such high words of praise from one of his forensic science heroes. Minseok even pats his back and says, “Now scoot, clean up and get something to eat.”

“Yes sir!”

Sehun cleans up and heads to the cafeteria, which he has grown to like a lot. The police station is nestled beside a small hillock, so part of the outdoors parking garage has been turned into a seating area, and it is lovely to eat outside in the mellow winter sun. He supposes it will be impossible to stay outside when it snows but for now, he quite likes it. He buys himself a hot cup of coffee and a sandwich and finds himself a seat.

He is pouring sugar into his coffee when he realises the detective inspector is seating just a bench away from him. While on the journey back to the lab, Sooyoung had told him about Junmyeon and Yifan, which she learnt about their history from Jungkook, who learnt about them from his boss Yixing, who heard it from sergeant Kim Jongdae. He tries to be sneaky as he steals glances at the man, but Junmyeon catches him anyway and looks up from his bowl of noodles to frown at him, “You are looking Mr. Oh.”

“Sir! Uh,” Sehun fumbles. “I, uh—”

Junmyeon chuckles as he rises and joins him. He puts down his bowl on Sehun’s table and smirks, “So, I guess the grapevine got to you too.” Sehun flushes, his cheeks darkening in mortification but Junmyeon waves his hand, “It is okay. It is not a secret. Everyone who has lived here all their lives know. You aren’t from around here, then?”

Sehun feels relieved when the detective changes the subject. He happily blabbers about his school, his classes and the interesting science of blood splatter. They talk for some time and Sehun decides he rather admires the detective. Junmyeon too takes a shining to the young man—not every day you find someone this enthusiastic about stabbing.

Junmyeon returns to his office and Sehun to his after they finish eating. Junmyeon finds Jongdae in their office, scowling at his computer screen. He glances up at his partner and says, “So, victim, Choi Gowon. Twenty years old and  worked as a cashier at a seven eleven on the freeway between Ulsan and Yangsan. No record of family found though. I am combing through missing persons database now.”

“Check for orphanage records,” Junmyeon comments.

“What if she changed her name?”

“Run a facial recognition then.”

Jongdae nods and keeps scowling at his screen. Junmyeon sits down at his desk and he lets his mind wander to the question that has been bothering him to no end. Today, at the crime scene, he had expected to see the apparition of Choi Gowon, but he saw and felt nothing. It confused him since it never happened to him before. He always, always finds the ghost hovering close by the body when he visits the crime scene, so to have met none today has rattled him. It makes no sense.

There is a knock on the door and when Junmyeon permits the request to enter, Chaeyoung’s head peeks in. Junmyeon says, “Yes?”

“So, uh, I am heading the South River University now to ask about the death of missus Lee, you know the old lady with the frazzled pacemaker. The DA wants an answer within this week, so would it be a problem if I work on that for this week?” Chaeyoung says.

Junmyeon nods, but then he gets up. “Take me with you, I know someone in the university.”

Chaeyoung widens her eyes before grinning, “I am actually going to question the physics department.”

Junmyeon grins back, “I know _someone_ in that very department, lets go.” He needs some air and distraction from the questions buzzing in his head.

As Junmyeon is about to leave, Jongdae stops him, “Uh, boss, Yoonoh handed me this note from Minseok.” He hands Junmyeon a folded paper without even tearing his gaze away from the screen.

Junmyeon pockets it and accompanies Chaeyoung outside. He takes the borrowed patrol car and drives as Chaeyoung fills him with the details of Mrs. Lee’s case. They reach the sprawling complex of the South River University, which as it names goes, is built beside the river that feeds most of the farms in the town. Junmyeon flashes his badge and they breeze through. He tells the receptionist that he wants to meet Dr. Kim Jongin and she shows them the way.

As they walk down corridors to get to the physics department, Junmyeon fishes out the note from his pocket. He opens it to find Minseok inviting him over for dinner at nine tonight. Junmyeon makes up his mind to go, he would like some company and some answers.

They find Jongin in a classroom and he has no ongoing classes, he was just grading papers when Junmyeon and Chaeyoung step in. Jongin grins when he sees Junmyeon, “Ah!” But then his grin dims when he sees the uniformed Chaeyoung, “Everything alright?”

Junmyeon shakes, “Just some questions, constable?”

Chaeyoung is startled; she was under the impression, Junmyeon would lead the interview. But she recovers quickly and clears her throat, “Doctor Kim, I am constable Park, I needed to ask you some questions.”

Jongin nods and he tells them to sit down on the benches. Chaeyoung tells him briefly about Mrs. Lee’s death, to which Jongin confusedly asks, “But I don’t understand what the college has to do with that?”

Chaeyoung says, “Her body was found in close proximity to the university. Our forensic team confirmed her pacemaker was ruined due to large scale magnetic force. Through some research, I found that you guys do plenty of experiments with electromagnets and accelerators, so I was wondering if you had any experiments or trials going on the date of November twenty third?”

Jongin nods as he gets his laptop and scrolls through something. He shakes his head, turning the screen towards Chaeyoung, “As you can see we did not have any trials since October thirtieth, and I can confirm that no trials or experiments are done without me or my colleague’s permission.”

“Colleague?”

“Ah, yes, doctor Hwang Jaehyun.”

Chaeyoung wraps the interrogation and soon they leave. Jongin gives Junmyeon a formal invitation to come visit his lab one day and Junmyeon accepts. They are driving back to the station when Chaeyoung groans, “How did Mrs. Lee even die?”

Junmyeon smiles, “You will get there.”

 

Minseok and his wife, Wheein, met in college. She was his professor’s daughter and it was almost love at first sight when Minseok and she met in their freshman year. They married a year after Yifan and Junmyeon, and Junmyeon liked her a lot. She is a charming, cheerful person and a very good fit for Minseok, who can sometimes get too serious for his own good. 

Junmyeon has taken a shower and was fixing his hair as they clock reads eight thirty. The phone in his room rings and when Junmyeon picks it up, Lu Han says, “So, there is a strapping young lad with great manners waiting at the reception saying he is here to pick you up.”

Junmyeon frowns; who could it be? He takes his jacket and phone as he heads towards the front. To his surprise, he finds Yoonoh standing by the desk. Yoonoh bows and explains, “Brother-in-law, I mean, Minseok hyung told me to get you. I am Wheein noona’s cousin, not everyone knows this.”

Junmyeon nods, wondering if he had seen this guy before, but in all honesty, every young cousin at that wedding was like a teenager or a toddler, so Junmyeon can’t say. Yoonoh drives him to the Kim house by the canal. Junmyeon always liked this area growing up. There are large cherry trees (which he checks to see is still standing) at the beginning of the long stretch of road before the housing society starts and he used to love taking walks here in spring, during the cherry blossom season. The houses here are all Western style houses built by one architect who was a die-hard enthusiast of English-style cottages during the eighties and they all sort of look like they came straight out of an Enid Blyton or Roald Dahl book.

Minseok and Wheein lived in the house that once belonged to his late uncle. It is a white two storeyed house with sloping brown roof. A maple tree stands tall and proud in the front yard and Junmyeon can glimpse the river behind the hedge wrapped around the house. Yoonoh knocks on the door and Wheein greets them. She pulls Junmyeon into a hug and her swollen belly makes it awkward at first but she finds the right angle to squeeze Junmyeon as tightly as she can as she says, “It is so, so good to see you Junmyeon.”

Her hair is cut short in a bob and even though she looks a lot different, Junmyeon remembers the deep dimples and the bright, toothy grin. He kisses her temple and says, “I am delighted to see you,” he glances at her belly and grins, “And junior too!”

Wheein pulls Junmyeon inside and Yoonoh shuts the door behind them. She says, “It is a girl! I am so excited!”

Yoonoh snorts, “Weren’t you just complaining how not excited you were about diaper changing?”

Minseok saunters in from the side and grins, arm wrapping around Wheein’s waist, “Your noona goes through fifty thousand moods in a day.”

Wheein lightly smacks Mineok on his chest and pouts, “And it is entirely your fault.”

Minseok shrugs his shoulders as Yoonoh makes gagging noises and Junmyeon laughs. Dinner is served soon after and it passes great. Junmyeon feels like nothing changed between him and Minseok and Wheein. Their banter is still full of laughter and heartfelt camaraderie, and time passes easily. Yoonoh turns out to be quite witty and sarcastic and it felt good to see his subordinate in a different light.

Wheein is on her third bathroom break for the night and Yoonoh is on the porch talking to someone on the phone, leaving Minseok and Junmyeon in the kitchen. Junmyeon did come here with ulterior motives, so he leans on the counter as Minseok starts the dishwasher. He asks, “Minseok, can I ask you something?”

Minseok turns around and sighs when he takes one look at Junmyeon’s shifty gaze and nervous disposition. He grabs two tumblers, grabs some ice and pulls out his bottle of whiskey. “Come on,” he says and gestures at Junmyeon to follow him.

They go down the stairs into the basement, which Minseok had turned into a study. There are medical journals everywhere, and there is even a small chemistry lab set up at the corner. They sit down on chairs around a upside down crate and Minseok pours them both drinks. He leans back in his armchair and says, “So, you want to know about Yifan, don’t you?”

Junmyeon nods as he picks his glass up. “He was so hell bent on becoming a surgeon. Why this sudden career change?”

“I will be brutally honest here, since you know I can’t bullshit my way through anything,” Minseok says. He takes a sip, then a deep breath, “When you left, he hit rock bottom Junmyeon. He lost the purpose of his life. I think there was a month he drank only liquids before I and Baekhyun got to him. Then, if it wasn’t for Yongguk at the hospital, I don’t know where he would be.”

Junmyeon’s grip tightens around the glass and he squeezes his eyes shut as a sharp stab of pain pierces his heart and he finds it difficult to breathe. Minseok resumes, in a low voice, “You were his everything Junmyeon. I know you left to fix yourself but he fell apart. He is somehow whole now but he is not what he was when he was with you.”

Minseok was always the most introspective of all his friends. He saw right through people and quietly observed them. He also had the best interests of his friends at heart, and Junmyeon knows he can believe Minseok when he says all that. When he opens his eyes, he is not entirely surprised to find tears running down his cheeks. He puts down the glass on the crate and rubs his face. His voice breaks as he admits out loud, “I, I can’t look at him without wanting to fall on my knees and ask for him to take me back Minseok. I still love him, I still want him but I am so afraid he wouldn’t want me back. The last five years, fuck, Minseok, it was so fucking hard...”

Minseok’s heart twists in pity. He reaches forward and squeezes Junmyeon’s shoulder, which is shaking. He softly says, “Junmyeon, Junmyeon, you don’t know that. He feels the same. You two have to talk it out. Clear everything out, please. Don’t do this to yourself or him.”

A knock on the door brings Junmyeon back to the composure he maintains and he wipes his face. No one else has to see this side of him. Minseok shouts, “Yeah?”

They hear Yoonoh shouting back, “I am heading back home, is sir coming with me?”

Junmyeon shouts, “Yeah, wait for me.” It is late and he knows he won’t find a taxi anywhere at this hour. Hangu-nam goes to bed by ten at the most.

Junmyeon downs the entire drink in one go and it burns his throat and makes his eyes water all over again. He gets to his feet but Minseok pulls him into a tight hug and whispers, “If you two haven’t solved your issues by the new year, remember I am a forensic scientist, I can make your bodies disappear and no one will ever know.”

Junmyeon laughs but he appreciates Minseok and his advice. He joins Yoonoh upstairs and gives another hug to Wheein, who whispers to him as well, “Stay this time, okay? Yifan needs you, and so do your old friends.”

Junmyeon feels his heart expanding with affection for his friends. As the car moves out of the driveway and the couple wave at him, he feels like crying all over again as he realises just how much he has missed his friends too.


	7. A Day Late

Three days later Yixing presents the toxicology report. It took his team this long since the first run didn’t match any of the common poisons, so they did more intensive tests and tried to match with the rarest of the rare poisons, and finally after endless sleepless nights and caffeinated days, Yixing and Jungkook found the cause of death.

“Glechoma hederacea,” Yixing announces. “The English name.”

“Poison with a G,” Jongdae murmurs.

Jungkook stifles a yawn and then says, “Commonly known as ground ivy, and not native to South Korea at all. Since human poisoning with this garden plant is almost unheard of, we couldn’t determine just how much of it is lethal but we found more than two hundred milligrams of it. Mostly horses die if they accidentally eat it.”

Yifan nods, “I suppose it works like nettle or foxglove, except slower?”

Yixing shakes his head, “There is literally no data backing any of this up.”

Jungkook speaks up again, “The perp took a great risk by using this plant really. Usually, what is toxic for animals don’t harm us and vice versa.”

Junmyeon taps the surface of the table a couple of times, eyebrows furrowed. He looks at his team of Jongdae, Yoonoh and Chaeyoung, and swiftly orders, “Okay, all of you, scourge through every online and offline store where you can purchase foreign toxic plants in this whole country. If this is not native to this country, there can’t be too many customers for it.” The three of them nod and then Junmyeon looks at Minseok, “You guys said you lifted a fingerprint off her torso?”

Minseok nods and Sehun scurries over to hand him the folder. He had helped with the fingerprint match. The older man says, “There is no match, and the print is partial.”

“How far did you check?”

Sehun interjects, “All over the country. I ran the programs for over fourteen hours, we found no match. The partial print hindered an inaccurate match.” Sehun has proven to be invaluable in the last three days. He picked up and learnt things fast and was soon tasked with the job of identifying the fingerprint by Yifan and Minseok.

Junmyeon groans and rubs his face. They have four deaths on their hands, and the previous three that went unnoticed. He doesn’t see the way Yifan looks at him with great concern. Yifan wonders if Junmyeon is sleeping or eating properly. He cut his hair recently but the bangs are still longer and it doesn’t look like he combed it today. He has been removing the bangs from his eyes throughout the meeting. Yifan’s fingers itched to do it for him. Then cup his cheek, rub his thumb over the faint mole over his lips and—

Yifan shakes his head and forces his attention away from Junmyeon’s face to his notebook. He wants to help Junmyeon solve this but whoever is doing this is too smart. He muses out loud, “There is something, you know. Whoever is doing this, he or she has knowledge of forensics and how we work. Like all the bodies we found? They were all washed down or wiped down with,” he turns to look at Minseok, “Rubbing alcohol, right?”

Minseok nods. Junmyeon says, “So you are saying the killer could be in the same trade?”

Minseok shakes his head, “They don’t have to study all this at the college or toil through medical school for this. Yifan and I had been wondering if this killer is someone who _knows_ things. After all, they used a plethora of common and uncommon poisons to kill people. That sort of thing requires intellect.”

Junmyeon hums and steeples his fingers, scowling deeply. He considers Minseok’s words and he understands them. Whoever they are looking for is smart and dangerous.

Jongdae looks at the time and yelps, “Boss! The press conference! You can’t be late or chief will kill you!”

Junmyeon groans as he drags himself up. Four deaths can’t be hidden from the press or people anymore, so the media and the station agreed to finally do this. Jongdae has no part in it, but he took it on himself to encourage his boss and say, “Fighting sir! You can do this!”

Junmyeon appreciates it, and even the others send him regards. He leaves the room first and soon the others disperse as well. Yixing, Jongdae and Jungkook fall back. The two toxicologists collect their data and Jongdae lends a hand. If Yixing was any less sleep deprived, he would be blushing. As they collect the documents, Jungkook snatches the pile in Yixing’s hand and firmly says, “Hyung, go home. I got this.”

Yixing frowns, “Listen, I am fine. You can’t do this all on your own.”

Jungkook argues, “I will take Sehun’s help. You need to sleep. When was the last time you slept?”

Jongdae joins the conversation and he notices the tiredness in Yixing’s eyes and the paleness of his skin. He says, “Yixing, you look not so good. Let me take you home, come on.”

Yixing does blush this time. But before he can respond, Jungkook says, “Yes, please, go home, now.”

Yixing feels like he is crumbling under pressure when he finds both Jongdae and Jungkook staring him down and glaring at him respectively. He nods his head and mutters, “Fine. But you go home as soon as you are done too.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes and leaves with the documents in hand. Time to go bother Sehun then.

Jongdae waits for Yixing in the parking lot and the older arrives dressed in this oversized parka and a red beanie. Jongdae thinks his heart just might have melted at that. Yixing’s bangs are pressed on his forehead and he has to continuously brush it away to even look. It is all sorts of adorable and Jongdae by now is aware that Yixing _does_ like him, but Jongdae now likes him right back. The catch is now how or when to ask him out. They are both busy and the serial killer looms large over their heads.

Jongdae hands him his extra helmet and Yixing looks at the thing with great confusion. He looks at Jongdae and he looks distressed when he says, “Uh, Jongdae-sshi? I have never worn a helmet before.”

Jongdae grins a little. He takes the helmet from Yixing’s hand and says, “You have to take that beanie off.” Yixing obeys and pulls the thing off and shoves it in his messenger bag. The static makes some of his hair stick up and Jongdae chuckles at that.

Jongdae holds the helmet by the chin strap and then placing both his thumbs on the inside, he gently slips the helmet over Yixing’s head. He asks, “Is the fit okay?”

Yixing says, “It is tight.”

“Then it fits.” Jongdae then fastens the straps and steps back. “There, done. Hop on!”

Yixing watches Jongdae effortlessly swing his leg around and sit down and even though it was a nice view, and sort of cool, he knows he can’t do that. He tries his best and gets on the seat. Jongdae turns around and asks, “So, where do you stay?”

Yixing answers, his voice muffled, “You know the farmer’s market by the wood bridge by the North Canal?” Jongdae nods. “I live by the bridge, beside the canal.”

Jongdae then slips his own helmet and starts the engine. The thing roars to life and Yixing sends a small prayer for their safety. He doesn’t really like motorcycles much, but he does like Jongdae, so he is trying to achieve a balance between that.

They are cruising down the high street and despite the visor Yixing can still feel the sharp cold wind slapping his face. As Jongdae rounds a corner, Yixing shuts his eyes and grabs Jongdae tighter. He was only holding on to the back of Jongdae’ jacket, but as the motorcycle curves, he feels his doom is near and he throws his arms around Jongdae’s waist.

Jongdae is surprised by it but he grins. Guess stuff like this can happen outside of dramas as well. They are riding straight down a one-way lane, so Yixing backs up and returns to holding his shoulders. Jongdae is upset that there aren’t any more corners to tackle.

They reach Yixing’s place, which is a small warehouse turned into an apartment complex. Jongdae kills the engine at the front and he gets down first, then helps Yixing get down. The older struggles with the straps, so Jongdae helps him get the helmet off. Jongdae feels his heart skipping a beat when he sees the messy hair and the cheeks now pink due to the cold.

“I, thank you sergeant,” Yixing mumbles, twisting his hands, wondering if he should say something else because Jongdae in his leather jacket and messed up hair looks all sorts of attractive. His cheeks are flushed pink and Yixing makes up his mind. With great courage, Yixing resumes, “Would you like to come inside? You look cold, I could make you some tea?”

Jongdae’s grin widens. He nods, “Yeah, I’d like that. Driving during winter months are hell.”

Yixing smiles, amused, “Then why drive that anyway?”

Jongdae pouts, patting the motorcycle, “No way! This is my most prized possession! I can’t leave him languishing in the garage!”

Yixing tilts his head to the side and his dimples deepen as he smiles wider, “He?”

“Yup, meet Chenchen, the love of my life.”

Yixing breaks down in peals of laughter and Jongdae thinks his heart just may burst out of his chest. He looks at Jongdae, his eyes crinkled in amusement, his gloved hand fisted over his mouth. Jongdae can’t help but grin back. Junmyeon wouldn’t miss him for another hour, so Jongdae then follows Yixing home.

 

The cameras, the constant chatter, the questions are all gradually getting to Junmyeon. There are reporters from every local newspaper from here to Busan. Some even came down from Seoul and further up north. He has been here for the last ten minutes and he has taken the part of background character because he rather have Taeyeon talk. At the last minute, the chief decided to pull Minseok out too if they get questions too scientific.

“So, you can confirm this is the work of one killer?” a reporter asks.

Taeyeon nods, “Yes. Even though the poisons used every time was different, the killer is leaving his mark, and cutting the fingers of every victim.”

“As a memento then?”

“You guys came up with that term. It could be a memento or a sign that he wants to use to tell the world that this is him.”

Junmyeon has hardly uttered a word since he came, but then a reporter asks, “This is for the detective on the case. Mister Kim, is it true you were born and brought up in Hangu-nam?”

Junmyeon is startled by the question, but he straightens up and answers, “Yes, I am.”

“Why did you leave then?”

Junmyeon’s jaw hardens. He can tell the reporter is just asking for material for gossip and nothing else. Chances are, she did her research and Junmyeon knows the news of him jumping into the sea was widely published. He says, “I left because of my ill health.”

The woman smirks, “Ill health? Well, we hope you are capable to handle this case then.”

Taeyeon scowls, cutting in, “Your questions are not connected to the case any way. Keep this up and _I_ will throw you out.”

The woman returns to scribble in her notebook but the bitter taste on Junmyeon’s tongue remains. This is what he was avoiding. But now, soon enough, the whole town will know that the shaman’s grandson was back in town and in charge of the most shocking case this town has ever seen.

Another reporter chimes in next, “I see that DI Kim Junmyeon has an excellent track record from his previous stints in Gwangju and Seoul. How confident are you that you will catch this killer?”

Junmyeon leans across the table and says, his voice firm and sure, “I am confident in catching this man, rest assured.”

The questions divert from him then and Taeyeon and Minseok answer them. It is almost an hour later when the conference breaks and the room empties out. When they are alone, Taeyeon glares at the ceiling as she fumes, “I fucking swear if they start digging around you and Yifan, I will throw them all in jail for slander. I should have known some would come for the gossip and not the case.”

Junmyeon swallows; he knows this will create quite the stir. Yifan is well-known in the town, and so was he—but for very different reasons. He remembers the surprise of everyone else when they got married. He remembers the whispers ( _“Why would anyone want to be with him? Good thing he is leaving the doctor alone”_ ). This is why he never wanted to return. But he missed Yifan, missed his friends, and even missed the trees, the mountains and the sea.

Minseok says, “Calm down noona. You know how this town and their narrow minds work. We just work, look ahead and not care two fucks about them.” Then, he says to Junmyeon, “And you, don’t let this get to you either. Remember, we all have a job to do.”

They all head back to their offices later on and as Junmyeon enters his empty office, he wonders where Jongdae is. He is about to call the younger man when he decides not to. He sits down and putting his elbows on the desk, tucks his face into his palms and groans. His head hurts and his stomach is grumbling but he can’t care about that.

He never knew his father and never felt the absence of a paternal figure much. His mother was enough. She was beautiful, lively and the most awesome mother ever. Her illness was like a punch on an open wound. When his mother died, he was only ten years old. He moved in with his only living relative then—his grandmother, the shaman. They lived in the temple high up in the mountains and at first, he used to think his grandmother was just a caretaker of the temple. But then he would find her talking to people at night, and then some people would come to her in the mornings and she would be gone for days. It was much later that Junmyeon realised the people he saw in the day were actually humans and the ones in the night _were not_.

His grandmother figured out he had the “gift of sight”, and she started to teach him things about ghosts and his lineage. Apparently, his family’s brush with the supernatural could be traced back to the 17th century. He was shocked by all this and he tried to deny his blood. Kids at school teased him enough for living in the temple with his “ghost whisperer” grandmother. If it wasn’t for Minseok and Yifan, the bullying could have been worse. They kind of shielded him from most of it but Junmyeon was still ashamed of it.

But then when he learnt one day that he just not only saw them, they could touch him and he could see into their heads, it became worse. The splitting headaches, the asthma attacks, the nausea after it all. Then, when she died, he was seventeen, and he decided to leave the temple. He would only visit it on the anniversaries of her death but he stopped after a few years. He hasn’t returned since then. He doesn’t want to, but suddenly, his heart aches for the way he never understood his grandmother. When it was his turn, and Yifan didn’t believe him, Junmyeon understood how it must have felt for her.

Jongdae isn’t back yet, so he decides to leave for some time. He suddenly has a strong urge to go see the place he abandoned. He borrows the patrol car he has been driving and heads for the woods. He chews on his lip as he takes the road by the sea, moving closer and closer to the mountain on which the temple was. He remembers the fissure during the earthquake showed up a mile from the temple. A memory of his grandmother sometimes going for walks around that area floats to the surface and he scowls. Right, his grandmother used to keep saying that the small clearing between the pine trees—where the crack later showed up—was special. He can’t remember if she ever gave him a reason though.

He reaches the base of the mountain the temple is built on, and to his surprise, he sees the place has been turned into a tourist attraction. Well, the temple never belonged to the family and after his grandmother’s death the town council took over, so in a way, this makes sense. It is empty today though, so he is grateful for that.

He parks the car and starts walking, taking the fifty or so steps carved out of the mountain. New railings have been installed and lampposts have been put at every fifth step. Halfway through, there is a board tracing the history of the temple and Junmyeon takes a pause to read it. He smirks when he sees some lies on it but moves on. Sure, he called this home once upon a time, but he was also anxious to leave.

He reaches the top and he gasps when he sees how the compound has been broadened. The ancient maple tree still stands tall and proud at the corner, but there are two buildings that weren’t there before. The main building of the temple remains and he finds volunteers sweeping dried leaves off the stairs. He takes his shoes off and a volunteer rushes towards him, all grins, “Welcome sir, this way to the shoe rack.”

The man shows him the way and Junmyeon chokes when he sees he has to pay a fee to store his shoes and enter the place. He parts with his money and he can’t tell if he finds it tragic or comic that he has to pay to step inside where he had spent his days sleeping, eating and learning about his bloodline.

The volunteer is about to guide him like on a tour when Junmyeon interrupts him, “It is okay. I know my way around here.”

The man smiles, “Ah, you have been here before then?”’

Junmyeon looks up at the gleaming, tiled roof the temple. “I used to live here.”

The man gasps, “Oh! The priest would like to meet you then!”

Junmyeon is confused at that but follows the man to an adjacent building, which turns out be an office. He finds a young man, bald and in his robes typing away. He looks up and smiles, “Taeil, what brings you here?”

Taeil, the volunteer, points at Junmyeon and says, “This man here says he used to live here. I thought he might know about the boxes we found.”

The priest gets to his feet and steps around the desk. He shakes Junmyeon’s hand and smiles, “Is that so? May I know your name? And if you are related to Kim Jangmi?”

The name of his grandmother sort of surprises Junmyeon but he holds it in and say, “Yeah, yeah. She was my grandmother. My name is Kim Junmyeon.”

The priest smiles again, “I am Lee Jinki. Actually, when I took over the job of manager here three years ago, I started cleaning out the attic by the rooms behind the temple, and I was told that a grandmother and her grandson lived here many, many years ago. The rooms were vacant and cleaned out—“

“I took away whatever belonged to me and sold the rest of it,” Junmyeon adds.

Jinki nods, “Yes, but we found some boxes in the attic loft. I guess you didn’t check there.”

Junmyeon bites his tongue as he nods, “Yeah, I was leaving for the police academy, so I didn’t find the time and it slipped my mind.”

“Well, I still call this divine intervention! Taeil, if you will so kindly?”

Taeil nods and disappears behind a door at the back. Jinki asks while he is gone, “So, are you a police officer then mister Kim?”

Junmyeon nods, “Yeah, I am a detective. I got transferred back her.”

Jinki smiles, all soft and beatific, “A very divine intervention indeed.” Junmyeon wants to refute that but then he decides that if he can see ghosts then this man is entitled to his belief in fate.

Taeil returns with two small boxes and Junmyeon relieves him of them. They are both lacquered wood boxes and he sort of recognises them. His grandmother had a whole lot of other boxes like that strewn all over their house in various sizes. She said her husband, a carpenter and a man he never met, made them for her and they were customised with the carving of a rose, her name, on dark teak wood. He whispers as he traces a carving of a leaf, “This did belong to grandma…”


	8. House of Memories

Junmyeon finally finds his eyes welling with tears. She was her only family and he spent the years with her keeping her at arms’ length because he didn’t want to have anything to do with ghosts. Suddenly, he misses her and he wishes he could talk with her. But she once told him that when the death happened years and years ago, the ghosts go away. They don’t have the energy to sustain themselves.

Jinki and Taeil notice Junmyeon’s watery eyes. Taeil runs off to find Junmyeon some water while Jinki gently pushes Junmyeon down on the sofa tucked by the window. Junmyeon hugs the boxes and says, “Thank, thank you mister Lee. I just, I miss her. I wasn’t a very good grandson…”

Jinki sits down beside him and carefully pats Junmyeon’s shoulder as the latter wipes away his tears. The manager says, “I sure you were a good grandson mister Kim. You may feel terrible for leaving but if I were you and young, I don’t think I would be able to live on my own in this huge place either. Perhaps it was your fate to leave back then, and return now.”

Taeil returns with the water and Junmyeon takes it with a small smile. He thanks them both and asks if he can walk around for a bit. They happily let him and Junmyeon wanders off. He is choking with nostalgia as he walks around the property, or parts of it that haven’t been changed too much in nine years. He remembers running about the place, his grandmother sitting under the tree and laughing as she worked on some sewing, writing or something. He finds the well, now covered, that had cool waters even in the height of summers and he would take out as much as possible and then fill a large clay pot and stay submerged till he turned wrinkly.

He remembers the day before his wedding when he came here with Yifan and took away the very last things that remained here. He doesn’t think he returned after that day. He can’t recall. The wedding, his sudden promotion to sergeant. He forgets if he did or not that year.

He walks up to the maple tree and he touches it. He smiles when he feels it emits the same calm, gentle energy he knew. Besides ghosts, Junmyeon can hear the nature too at times. They are always murmuring very low and indiscernible things but it is always clean, bereft of any malice, longing or regret. But Jangmi once told him, the older a tree is, the louder it talks. He feels his tears returning and he puts his head on the bark as he cries some more. His heart twists in pain and guilt. He was the dutiful grandson and he had scattered her ashes into the sea as she requested, so he doesn’t have a grave to visit, so he substitutes that with the tree and mumbles, “I am sorry halmeoni. I hurt you by being a fool. Then, I hurt Yifan. And now everything else hurts. I love you, and I am sorry I didn’t say it enough.”

A gentle breeze blows through and it caresses his hair, and he smiles. It almost feels like his grandmother running her fingers through his hair, when he would be sick of studying and lay his head down on her lap. He straightens up and looks up at the light blue sky. It feels good to come here. Maybe, he should visit often.

He returns to the office, thanks the two men again and leaves after taking the boxes. As he drives back to the station, his heart feels lighter than it has done since he landed here and he can’t help the small smile that stays on his face throughout the drive back.

 

The next morning, Junmyeon wakes up to his phone ringing. He wakes up with a jolt and picks up his phone. He rubs his eyes as he picks it up. And then, he surprised to hear Hyejin on the other end, “Kim Junmyeon! I had to learn all about your life from a news article?”

Junmyeon runs his fingers through his hair and asks, “What?”

Hyejin groans, “Dude! I knew you went to that town to solve some crime, so I had Jackson put an alert on the town name, and what do I see this morning? An article on you, _you and your husband!_ You are married and we didn’t even know?”

Junmyeon is awake now. He quickly says, “Hyejin, I will talk to you later. I will tell you everything, just please.” He disconnects the call and goes on Naver. He types in the town name and the most popular article turns out be not about the crime but about him and Yifan. He swears under his breath and opens the link.

It reads:

_Former resident of Hangu-nam, Kim Junmyeon, detective inspector returns to town to solve the recent series of murders. The man in question is quite the sensation. He has had high rates of solving crimes back in the cities he has been in, so everyone is looking at him to solve this crime. However, the detective, no matter how handsome in person seems to hiding some things of his own._

_Apparently, speaking to former bosses and colleagues, no one knows much about the man. Turns out, not only was he born here, but he also is still married to the head of the CSU, Dr. Wu Yifan. They are separated but sources say, tensions are always high between them when they are in the same room._

Junmyeon stops reading and throws his phone on the bed. But he picks it up again and calls Taeyeon, who picks it at the first ring. She says, “Yeah, I know. I have seen the article. Fuck, Junmyeon, I—”

“You can’t do anything noona,” Junmyeon groans and pinches his nose, “it is a local gossip site. This is what they do. But fuck, now they will be staring at me all weird again.”

Taeyeon sighs, “Hold on Junmyeon. Don’t listen to anyone, okay? I will send a warning across the station. If I find anyone gossiping, they are fired.”

Junmyeon chuckles, “Please don’t do that.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

He disconnects the call and swings his legs on the floor. He groans again and he stands up. He still needs to solve this case. They will be staring at him again, whispering behind his back and gosh, Yifan will suffer all this too.  He rubs his face again.

By the time he is ready and heading outside, he finds Lu Han by the front desk, scrolling through his phone. He hears footsteps and when he looks up, his eyes are widened and his cheeks are flushed. Junmyeon sighs, so Lu Han knows as well. He points at the phone and says, “I suppose you read that?”

Lu Han licks his lips but then he just nods. “I check for updates on the case, I wasn’t expecting this when I clicked on it.”

Junmyeon sighs, “Well, you should know I suppose. About me and Yifan.”

“I know Yifan, he is a nice man. He never said anything about you.”

“Of course, well,” Junmyeon sighs again. “I gotta go.”

Junmyeon reaches his office and all eyes are on him. He ducks inside his office and finds Jongdae and Yoonoh with their heads bowed over Jongdae’s phone. They look up when they hear the door opening and Junmyeon, judging by their surprised expressions, can already fathom, so he says, raising his hands, “It’s okay. You all already know, anyway.”

Yoonoh grumbles, crossing his arms, “This is utter bullshit. They don’t even care about the case.”

Jongdae tucks his phone back in his pocket and shakes his head, “Tell me about it. This is awful.”

Junmyeon sits down on his desk and shakes his head. He boots his computer up and says, “Let it go boys.”

Yoonoh frowns but he leaves the office. Jongdae gets back to his desk and plops down. He says, “Are you not mad?”

Junmyeon cups his face and sighs, “No, Jongdae. It is like an open secret. People will be more aware of it—that is the only difference.” Junmyeon then says, “Where were you yesterday though? You were gone for two hours.”

Jongdae blushes a little as he admits, “I was dropping Yixing home.”

Junmyeon smirks, leaning back in his chair, “So, you were gone for two hours dropping Yixing home?”

Jongdae splutters, “Nothing happened! He made me tea and then we talked for some time! He likes the same kind of music I do, and has a vinyl record player, so we just listened to some music. And then he sort of fell asleep on the couch, so I quietly left.” Jongdae inhales, a small smile on his face, “He looked like a kitten.”

“Aw, you sound smitten! How cute!” Junmyeon teases.

Jongdae blushes some more, “Oh come on! Stop it!”

“Ask him out then.”

“I can’t,” Jongdae pouts, “He is busy, I am busy.”

Junmyeon shakes his head, “Oh come on, there is never a proper break in this job. Just ask him out. Don’t wait.”

Jongdae looks at him, his eyes gleaming as his lips curl into a smile, “Maybe I will.”

Junmyeon chuckles; there he is, unable to fix his own marriage as he doles out relationship advice. Ironic.

 

Chanyeol is eating his lunch alone, chewing the rice and meat slowly, scrolling through his phone when he finds the article. His spoon almost drops in his bowl. Junmyeon, Kim Junmyeon is back in town? Now Baekhyun’s behaviour is explained. He has been in a bad mood for all morning. He was only speaking in monosyllables and an hour ago, he snapped at one of their part-time workers. Chanyeol sighs and puts the spoon back in the bowl.

Did he know for a fact that Baekhyun liked Yifan back in high school? Yes, he did. He always liked Baekhyun but from a distance. And he was okay with that. He knew Baekhyun wouldn’t give him the time of the day so he let it be, choosing to love him in silence. Then, he followed Baekhyun to the bar the day Yifan and Junmyeon married. Baekhyun, to this day, doesn’t know who it was that pulled his body off the table and took him home. He was that passed out, that far gone.

Then, one day, Baekhyun and he started getting closer. Still in the context of friendship but after some years, Baekhyun asked if Chanyeol ever wanted to get married. It was Chanyeol’s birthday and he was drunk, so he spilled it all out, all his feelings. Baekhyun avoided him for weeks and then suddenly asked Chanyeol to marry him. Chanyeol wasn’t sure what he was getting into, and he finally thought he had a choice but then when Baekhyun screamed at him on their wedding night, refused to be touched, he knew something else was up.

Turns out, Baekhyun asked him to marry him because his parents were pressuring him. Chanyeol was upset, he was down for a long, long time. Even now, he wakes up every day with the thought that today maybe Baekhyun will finally leave him.

Baekhyun is nice to Chanyeol. But it is less of a marriage and they are more of friends living under the same roof and have their signatures on a marriage certificate. Chanyeol can’t speak up about divorce because he is still much too in love with Baekhyun, and even after all these years, he holds onto the hope that maybe, one day, Baekhyun will see him the way he does. People grow to love people, don’t they? He has waited for six years; he can wait for six more and six more and six more…

He puts his phone down, screen down on the table. One day, Baekhyun may leave him, but till then, he chooses to be with him and love him like he always has—from a distance.

 

Jongin frowns, his lower lip jutting out in the way Lu Han considers cute. He looks up at the waning light, it is going to be evening soon. The sky is tinted a light purple and there no clouds. He has his electromagnetic force reader in hand as he slowly walks down the overgrown trail. He decided to take the lesser known path towards the clearing. To his far right, he can see the gleaming red roof of the temple tucked against the mountain.

He looks down at the device and he scowls when he reads the digits again. It wasn’t this high the last time he came, which was like last week. This is unheard of, especially here. Geographically, this place isn’t known for its earthquakes, thus for the fissure to emit so much energy is strange.

The closer he gets to the crack, he realises how quiet this part of the woods are. He can’t hear any birds, even the air feels still. It is weird but bird behaviour isn’t his area of expertise, so he doesn’t think too much about it. He is here because of the abnormal surge of magnetic force. When he came here a year and four months ago, the numbers have been steadily rising since the last five years, and they all thought it would perhaps stay steady but suddenly, it accelerated. None of them knew what is going on. No one has any answers.

The clearing is down the slope and Jongin takes careful steps down. The rocks roll down as he walks down. The reader is picking up numbers he has never seen happen ever. He has been to earthquake sites all over the world, but this is on another level. He looks down at the fissure, which isn’t even that big to begin with. He has been wondering how the crack was just concentrated to this one area and there aren’t any other cracks anywhere in the area or the whole of Hangu-nam.

Jongin notes down the readings and suddenly, he hears a low buzzing sound. He looks up and frowns. It is like the sound of static television or radio frequencies when it is out of range. He also feels heavy, like his head is getting stuffed with cotton. He knows electromagnetic energy is harmful but it doesn’t manifest in physical symptoms at once like this.

He swallows and clutches his head. His eyes are squeezed shut but somehow he feels like someone is staring at him. So, he pries them open and to his utmost surprise he sees a young woman dressed in a torn up hanbok looking at him. Jongin is about to open his mouth, ask but then he notes the lost, solemn look in her eyes, her sunken cheeks, and mostly, the wound on her abdomen. Jongin gasps and stumbles back, falling down. He can see her intestines spilling out of her body, and there is blood congealed on her wound.

Jongin has never felt fear like this in his life. His heart races and he can feel cold sweat blooming on his nape. He realises his knees are shaking, his entire body is trembling. She comes closer and he moves back, his hands getting scratched by the rough granite under his palms. She tilts her neck to the side and gazes at him for a moment before slowly disappearing in front of his eyes.

Jongin doesn’t know how long he stays there on the ground, shaking and with his heart racing. He moves only when he realises the sky has darkened tremendously. He doesn’t want to see her again, so he takes off running. His lungs heave and his leg muscles are paining but he can’t stop.

He reaches his car and he drops his keys, his hands trembling so much that he can’t even focus on putting the keys into place. He finally manages to push the key in and then starts the car. He doesn’t head back for the university. He drives towards his home.

As soon as he reaches home, he doesn’t pay attention to Lu Han or Yukhei who welcome him. He heads for his study and locks the door behind him. He pulls out the whiskey he keeps hidden and pours a whole lot of it into the glass. He gulps it all down in one go. It burns and he can feel his eyes watering but he can’t focus on that.

If he is right, he saw a _ghost._

But every logical cell in his body is refusing to acknowledge what he saw. How can he explain the disappearance, the wound? But ghosts don’t exist. The stories aren’t real, he didn’t just see what he saw, he can’t have. It is impossible.

He hears Lu Han knocking on his door, asking, “Jongin, baby, are you okay?”

Jongin opens his mouth but he finds he cannot make a sound. His throat feels parched and he can’t find the right words to say. How will explain to his husband what he saw? Who will believe him? He can hardly believe himself. Lu Han knocks again, “Jongin you are scaring Xuxi, and me.”

Jongin groans, his gut twisting in fear and guilt. He gets up on his feet, shakily. He unlocks the door and Lu Han gasps when he sees Jongin’s face, pale and his eyes are widened, his pupils dilated. Lu Han can also smell the liquor on his breath and he moves in, shoving Jongin gently back so their son doesn’t see him like this.

Lu Han has his hand on Jongin’s heart that is beating fast under his shirt. Lu Han is about to ask what’s wrong, he sees the bloody scratches on his palms. Lu Han grabs his wrists and looks back at Jongin, “Baby, what happened? Are you okay?”

Jongin shakes his head and pulls Lu Han to his chest. He nudges his head on Lu Han’s neck and takes a few deep breaths, taking in Lu Han’s clean, woody scent. Lu Han’s rubs his back in slow, soothing circles as Jongin tries to reel himself back in. He can’t talk about it and he knows Lu Han will ask, if not now, then sometime.

But for now, Lu Han keeps holding him, even though he is worrying. He has never seen Jongin like this. He can tell Jongin is afraid of something. He is literally shaking in his arms. But knowing Jongin, when something burdens his mind, he takes his time, so Lu Han doesn’t ask, just holds him.


	9. Been Through

Wheein wakes up to an empty, but warm bed and has to sit up, waiting to feel her legs and find her balance as she gets up. She finds Minseok’s sweater and puts it over her long t-shirt. She waddles into the kitchen and finds Minseok on the stove, already cooking up breakfast. He turns around when he hears her footsteps. He turns the heat down and helps Wheein into a chair by the counter. When she is comfortably seated, she pouts, “You know I can do this myself right? Plant my ass down on a chair by myself?”

Minseok sends her a look as he counters, “Okay, last night, you were crying that you couldn’t get up from your chair.”

Wheein scoffs, rolling her eyes, “Yeah, yeah whatever.”

Minseok cups her neck and kisses her. It is long and sweet and makes her toes curl. He returns to the stove and gets the tea he had made for her. He puts it down in front of her and she grimaces into the cup of raspberry leaf tea. “I miss coffee.”

Minseok plants another kiss on her temple and chuckles, “You will survive.” Minseok sits down with his own cup of green tea. He too has given up on coffee in solidarity when he is home especially. They both were addicted to their morning caffeine fix but since she cannot drink during and after the pregnancy, he didn’t want to be rude. They sip their teas in silence before Wheein breaks it by saying, “So, any improvement on the Yifan and Junmyeon thing?”

Minseok sighs, “Work is successfully keeping them apart. I am trying to get Yifan to meet Junmyeon outside of work but I feel like I am talking to a cactus instead.”

Wheein snorts, “I can imagine. You are dealing with two stubborn people.”

“Who are stubbornly in love with each other, huh.” Minseok rolls his eyes. “You should see them, in the same room, glancing at each other and then looking away when one catches the other. It is like, I am stuck in the world’s most angst-ridden drama of all times. Sometimes, I just want to knock their heads together and shout at them to get their shit together.”

Wheein laughs, throwing her head back. It is her full-bodied, slightly throaty laugh that is Minseok’s favourite. Her hand comes to rest on her belly as she calms down and grins at him, “God, I would pay to see you knock their heads together! But for now, you need to check on that soup.”

Minseok rushes out of the chair and returns to the soup.  He finds it done and serves himself and his wife the breakfast he had been preparing. Wheein watches with her heart expanding in affection. Wheein’s job at the boutique starts later than Minseok’s hours at the lab, so she would make him breakfast, and since he returned home earlier than her, he would make the dinner. But now, ever since she entered the third trimester, got on her maternity leave, he wouldn’t even allow her to cook or wake up that early (but old habits are hard to break).

At times, it gets annoying but she knows he only wants the best for her. The last pregnancy and the subsequent miscarriage terrified them both but she thinks he was more affected since he wasn’t there when Wheein suddenly miscarried. It wasn’t his fault but he wouldn’t forgive himself. So, now he comes home sometimes, even for lunch just to check up on her.

They finish breakfast and Wheein kisses her husband goodbye. She still works from home, the designers still sending her samples and drafts to look over. She sits down in the dining room with her laptop. She really likes the view from the floor to ceiling window in this room. It looks directly into the river and the woods beyond that. The high rise complexes peek out from beyond the trees, but overall it is a gorgeous view.

She slips on her glasses and is drinking her second cup of that awful raspberry leaf tea (Minseok made a whole fucking kettle, that fox) and looking over images of the new fabric samples when something catches her eyes across the river. She looks up, taking her glasses off, peering closer but whatever it was, it was gone. For a second, she thought she saw a young boy dressed in a white shirt and brown shorts standing by the trees on the other side of the river.

She frowns; it is cold outside. What if the guy dies of exposure or something? Should she call the station? She chews on her lip for a minute before sending a quick text to Yoonoh. Her cousin texts her right back and says he will come check the area in an hour. That satisfies her and she gets back to work, getting caught up in deciding if lilac satin is better than lavender satin.

 

Yoonoh doesn’t get to comply his cousin’s request within the hour he promised because as soon as he puts his phone down, Chaeyoung zooms past his desk and barges into the detective’s office, shouting, “Sir! The ground ivy! I found the seller! And buyer!”

That breaks everyone away from whatever they are doing and huddle into Junmyeon’s office. Chaeyoung is trembling and her face is flushed as she says, “There are exactly three vendors in all South Korea specialising in European plants, especially the ones from the UK, and one of them confirmed that he recently sold a ground ivy plant to a man named Kim Kisoo! He lives in Ulsan! I couldn’t find much about him, but I found a billing address that he gave to the vendor!”

Junmyeon is already out his chair, grabbing his gun and cuffs, so is Jongdae. They are running down the corridor and Yoonoh joins them, Chaeyoung following closely behind.

The drive to Ulsan takes a little over forty minutes but as soon as they locate the house of Kim Kisoo, they all get the feeling that something is wrong. The house is an old one, paint peeling off the walls. They all pull their guns out of their holsters as they slowly make their way through the naked front yard. Suddenly, the main door opens and a young woman steps out, who obviously yelps when she sees the four of them with guns pointing at her.

Junmyeon puts his gun down first as he asks, “Is this Kim Kisoo’s house?”

“Ye-yes,” the woman gapes, “Who are you people?”

Jongdae flashes his badge, “We are from Hangu-nam Police Department. May we know who you are?”

The woman says, “I am Kim Yerim. Kim Kisoo is my grandfather.” The word “grandfather” has all of them looking at each other. Jongdae lowers his gun, Chaeyoung and Yoonoh follow, all of them scowling. “Can I ask what this is about?”

Junmyeon says, “It is about a murder investigation.”

Yerim raises her eyebrows, “A murder? Is he a suspect?” She scoffs, “If he is then that is indeed strange because he is bedridden officers.” She moves to the side and motions them to walk inside.

The four of them troop into the house and as Yerim said, the man is laid down on a bed on the floor, fast asleep. Yerim explains, “He suffered a stroke last year and it paralysed his legs, so he stays in bed. You can go visit the hospital if you want to.”

Junmyeon groans, hands fisting by his side, “He is not a suspect definitely.” Junmyeon briefly explains the reason for their visit and Yerim just listens on with wide eyes and an open mouth.

Yerim shows them out but stops them at the gates. She calls for Junmyeon’s attention and when Junmyeon turns around, she says, “There is something…so, last year, when we were at the hospital, my grandfather’s ID proofs and documents went missing. I kept thinking maybe I just misplaced them, but if you are saying what you are saying, I am now wondering if someone stole them.”

Jongdae gasps, “That could be it!”

Chaeyoung snaps her fingers and groans. Yoonoh pats her back in sympathy. They return to Hangu-nam deeply disappointed. Taeyeon watches them re-enter with glum faces and Yoonoh tells her. She looks a bit disappointed herself but commends Chaeyoung for her work and tells Junmyeon and Jongdae to suck it up and get back to work.

However, Chaeyoung’s head is buzzing. She has an idea. She goes to the second floor where the cybercrime guys are and locates her friend, Jennie. The woman is hunched over her laptop, scowling at the screen that melts away when she sees her friend. She shuts her laptop and smiles, “What’s up baby girl?”

“You busy?”

“Nah, I was just reading fanfiction.”

Chaeyoung plops down on the seat beside her and pouts, “If you promise to help me with something, I will owe you forever and buy you all the cupcakes from D.O’s Bakery.”

Jennie’s grin looks adorable and malevolent at the same time as she says, “I am listening.”

“Is there any way you can track someone’s online purchases?”

“Why? Is this a credit card theft?”

“No. The guy I am looking for used pay later apps to purchase stuff, and those websites don’t give out private information without a court warrant, and you know how long _that_ takes.”

“Hmm,” Jennie pouts, “That will be a tad difficult, but I will see what I can do. Give me some time, okay?”

Chaeyoung chews the inside of her cheek, worrying how she may not have the luxury of time, but she nods, “Alright. Thanks Jennie!”

Jennie grins next, her eyes gleaming something unholy as she says, “By the way, since you owe me and all, introduce me to that sexy assistant I saw hovering near doctor Kim that day.”

“Sehun?”

“Yep!”

“Wait,” Chaeyoung giggles, “I thought slightly older men with tattoos were your type.”

At the mention of her last failed relationship, Jennie pinches Chaeyoung’s arm and sticks her tongue out. “Oh shut up. He is tall, gorgeous and I am single.”

Chaeyoung laughs and they chat for some time. She returns to her desk after giving Jennie the name of Kim Kisoo and finds Yoonoh putting on his winter coat. She asks, “Where are you going?”

“Oh, my noona texted me, saying she might have seen some little boy without his winter clothes in the woods opposite her house. I thought about using my lunch time to check it out.”

“Ugh, take me with you, I will buy you food,” Chaeyoung whines.

Yoonoh scoffs but lets her tag alone.

 

As the patrol car drives down the high street, Baekhyun watches it go. He had stepped out of the store to empty the dust pan and he wonders if something has happened again. The last few days have been dramatic. He is turning around to walk inside when he halts.

Kyungsoo’s bakery-cum-café is on the opposite street. It is not directly opposite the store but Baekhyun can still see who comes and goes. Right now, he is watching Yifan walk in with Junmyeon in tow.

His stomach turns and his hearts starts pounding painfully in his chest as he watches them step inside. He bites down on his lip hard enough to draw blood. He heads inside, the jealousy burning his whole body up.

He hears Chanyeol shuffle and straighten up, his voice gentle as he says, “Baekhyun your lips are bleeding.”

Baekhyun touches his lips and lies, “I, uh, it’s cold. Probably didn’t realise how dry my lips got.”

Chanyeol smiles as he picks out a tube of lip balm from the display at the front. He opens the package and throws it towards Baekhyun, who catches it with a frown, “Chanyeol, that is for sale!”

“Don’t worry,” Chanyeol chuckles, “You can pull out two thousand eight hundred won from your salary next month.”

Chanyeol returns to his work by the frozen food aisle and Baekhyun stands there with the lip balm. Guilt chews through his soul again and he suddenly wants to throw up, feeling nauseous. He rushes to the bathroom and curls over the toilet bowl, forcing something to come out of his body. Maybe he can force the jealousy, hatred, guilt.

He dry heaves instead and he hears the door banging open. He feels large, calloused, warm hands curl around his neck and another hand runs through his hair, and the familiar deep voice asks, rising in panic, “Baek? Baek? Are you alright?”

Baekhyun doesn’t realise he is crying as he leans back. Chanyeol catches him, his arms supporting him. Baekhyun can feel the thud of Chanyeol’s racing heart against his back and he shakes his head, “I, I am fine.” His hands rise and hold on to Chanyeol’s forearm. He squeezes it and tries to sound reassuring as he repeats, “I am fine.” He looks up and finds Chanyeol too close to his face. He can see the worry swimming in his dark brown eyes. There are tiny wrinkles on his forehead where it creases in concern.

Baekhyun pushes himself out of Chanyeol’s arms and tries to get to his feet. Chanyeol helps him up but lets go as Baekhyun drags himself to the basin. Chanyeol stays watching as Baekhyun splashes his face with cold water. He leaves the bathroom first and Chanyeol quietly follows. Baekhyun turns around and says, “Chanyeol, go back to your work, I am fine.”

Chanyeol looks exactly like a kicked puppy at that suggestion but he nods and walks towards the frozen section. Baekhyun, for some reason, thinks about the warmth he felt when Chanyeol wrapped his hands around him. He hugs himself as he stands by the cereal aisle. He feels too cold suddenly.

 

Junmyeon can’t believe he got fooled so badly by Minseok. The doctor texted him to meet him outside in the parking garage for lunch at somewhere not their cafeteria. But what he finds in the parking garage instead is Yifan looking lost, frowning down at his phone. Junmyeon adds two and two together when Yifan confirms that Minseok texted him to meet him here.

“So, we got parent trapped,” Yifan says.

Junmyeon chuckles, “Well, if you are here,” he thinks back to what Minseok told him at the basement of his home nights ago, “We could go somewhere for lunch.”

Thus, minutes later, they drive down to D.O’s Bakery, which turns out to be owned by a junior Junmyeon kind of remembers from school. Do Kyungsoo is putting some pastries on display when Yifan steps in. He smiles at him and his smile widens when he sees Junmyeon entering as well. He greets them, “Afternoon guys. The famous DI finally graces my humble shop!”

The shop is aesthetically pleasing with its monochromatic colour scheme. The walls are textured white and the floors are black and white checkered tiles. The counter is painted black wood, so are the other furniture. There is a blackboard with pretty handwriting spelling out the menu. Kyungsoo helps them order and Junmyeon orders hot chocolate instead of coffee. Yifan orders the same. Kyungsoo coaxes them to order pasta, so they do that as well.

They take their seats and as they wait for the food, Junmyeon fiddles with the salt shaker, which is shaped like a chess piece as he says, “I didn’t think you’d agree to come with me.”

Yifan smiles a little, “I was surprised you asked.”

Junmyeon smiles too, “We, we have to talk, don’t we?”

“Yeah, yeah we do.”

Their drinks arrive and they pause their conversation. Junmyeon is spooning the whipped cream off the top and into his mouth as he waits for Yifan to say something. He picks up the cup and takes a sip. The cream smears all over his mouth; he licks it off. He hears Yifan chuckling and looks up to find Yifan’s eyes gleaming in amusement. He barks, “What?”

“You have something on your chin,” Yifan says as he leans across and uses his thumb to swipe away the cream stuck on under Junmyeon’s lip. “You are still as clumsy as ever.”

Junmyeon feels his heart racing as Yifan’s thumb lingers on his chin. His touch is gentle and it makes him feel warm, warmer than a cup of hot chocolate could ever make him feel. However, Yifan, instead of removing his hand, keeps it there. Then, he moves his fingers to Junmyeon’s cheek and cups it, his thumb resting under Junmyeon’s eye. Yifan whispers, “Your cheeks were fuller.”

Junmyeon swallows, trying hard to find his voice. He leans into the touch and whispers, his voice trembling, “I am getting old.”

Yifan smiles, and it is soft, beautiful and makes Junmyeon heart ache, “I missed you Myeon.”

Junmyeon puts his hand over Yifan’s as he fights the tears, “I missed you too.”

Yifan finally removes his hand, but Junmyeon doesn’t remove his and they end up laced on the tabletop. Their hands fit seamlessly, like they always do. Yifan whispers, “I, I wanted to text you, call you.”

Junmyeon shuts his eyes, and mutters, “Let me guess, you stuck to the promise I had you make, hm?”

Junmyeon opens his eyes and finds Yifan looking sideways, a sheepish look on his face. Yifan nods, “Well, I didn’t want to, didn’t want to bother you,” his voice drops to a whisper again as he says, “Especially when you needed the space and time.”

Junmyeon feels guilty, but he lies, “Yeah, yeah I needed that. I am doing better now, I promise.” Then he tightens his grip on Yifan’s hand as he says, “I, Minseok told me things.”

Yifan sighs deeply, “I knew he would.”

“He just, well, he has always been like that.”

“Overtly curious and kind of nosy?”

Junmyeon laughs, “I was going to say observant and introspective!”

“Hm, potayto, potahto.”

They both laugh and their food arrives soon after. They have to stop holding hands to eat but their smiles are gentle and their gaze is affectionate as they eat and talk. Yifan tells him about his first year in forensics while Junmyeon talks about Jackson and Hyejin. It is nice, reminds him of dates they would go out to every now and then, even after marriage. Junmyeon knows he wants that, all of that all over again. Yifan also knows that he is not ready to give this, them, up anymore; he needs Junmyeon back in his life.


	10. Classified

The alarm rings and Lu Han wakes up, peeling his eyes open slowly as he hits snooze. The curtains are pulled close, so the room is still drenched in a twilight darkness. Lu Han makes a move to get up, but the strong arm wrapped around his waist stops him from moving and pulls him tighter to a chest. Lu Han smiles, “Baby, we gotta wake up.”

Jongin nuzzles Lu Han’s nape and whines, his voice heavy with sleep, “No. Let’s not.”

Lu Han chuckles as he turns around in Jongin’s hold. Jongin opens one eye and smiles at him. Lu Han cups his face and traces the curve of Jongin’s upper lip. Last night was _nice_. Jongin had cooped himself up in his study, and his poor TA, Zitao, was rushing to and fro from the university bringing Jongin his things. Apparently, Jongin had stumbled on to something and he couldn’t see anything beyond that. Lu Han knows this mood. Something would grab his attention, his brain will not stop working and he would devote every waking hour to it.

He also knows Jongin always forgets to eat, drink or rest when he dives deep into his academic pursuits. So, last night, after Lu Han was fed up feeling cold and alone on his bed, he trudged into the study and coaxed his husband out. Lu Han was not looking to seduce but as he started kneading the extremely tense muscles on Jongin’s neck, the younger moaned and Lu Han realised it has been some time since sex. So, one thing led to another, Lu Han rode him dirty and fast on the study chair and then Jongin made love to him slow and soft all night on their bed, and by the time they were done, Lu Han and Jongin both slept better than they had in days.

He stretches his legs under the covers and tangles them with Jongin’s, who grins and turns on his back, pulling Lu Han over him. Lu Han laughs as he sits up, straddling Jongin now. The covers slips down his shoulders, exposing his skin and Jongin watches with bated breath at how gorgeous his husband looks post-sex and after a good night’s sleep. His skin is glowing, his cheeks are flushed and messy hair keeps falling into his eyes. His impish grin is making Jongin’s heart do somersaults and he sighs because he is so in love.

Lu Han splays his hands on Jongin’s bare chest and asks, “Will you be going to work today then?”

Jongin smile dims and Lu Han can see the trouble brewing in his eyes again. “No, Han, I don’t want to yet.”

Lu Han puts his hand on Jongin’s head and cards through his thick hair and then traces the slight crease between his eyes. “It’s okay. You won’t tell me what happened that night, and it is okay, I will wait till you are ready to tell me.”

Jongin smiles and his hands come to rest on Lu Han’s hips. He traces circles into Lu Han’s hipbones as he says, “I love you so much ge.”

Lu Han grins, “I know you do, you idiot.” He leans forward to kiss Jongin, and it starts out all sweet but then Jongin slips his tongue inside Lu Han’s mouth and his hands move over his heated skin to grab his ass, squeezing them and Lu Han’s cock stirs in interest. Unconsciously, his hips buck and his ass grinds down on Jongin’s crotch, and Lu Han learns his husband feels the same.

Lu Han leans back and licks his lips, his eyes gleaming that unholy way that Jongin _loves_. His back arches slightly as he puts one of his hand on Jongin’s thigh and the other traces patterns on Jongin’s lower abdomen. Then, he starts rolling his hips and Jongin groans at the friction on his cock, now standing erect and throbbing. Lu Han too makes a choking sound as he throws his head back at how Jongin’s cock feels scraping against his perineum and along his rim. Their cocks slide against each other and Jongin wraps his large hands around them both. He slicks the precum beading on their cocks and uses it to smear it down their cocks. Lu Han falls on his chest as Jongin jerks them off. Lu Han mouths along Jongin’s neck and collarbone, nipping, sucking and licking along the expanse of tan skin.

Gosh, Lu Han loves Jongin’s skin tone. He looks like such a sun-kissed god and Lu Han can’t seem to get enough of it. And he loves, loves when the love bites he gives Jongin blooms the prettiest red. So, he sinks his teeth into Jongin’s pulse and sucks.

Jongin moans at the pain (he enjoys it) and his orgasm takes over him and he spills between their bodies. Lu Han follows soon after and their releases mix on Jongin’s chest but Lu Han slumps over him anyway. Jongin runs his cleaner fingers through Lu Han’s hair and kisses his shoulder, “Now, it’s a good morning.”

Lu Han starts laughing and Jongin joins him. They finally detangle and take a shower together. They both get dressed and Jongin heads to his study—Lu Han looks at him walk down the corridor to his study, and his heart clenches with worry again. He then finds Junmyeon walking towards the eating area. Breakfast is already laid out, buffet-style, and Lu Han gets greeted by his employees as he makes his way to Junmyeon’s table.

Junmyeon has the French toast and a cup of coffee in front of him. He looks up from cutting his bread into squares to find Lu Han waving at him. The man asks, “Can I join?”

Junmyeon nods, and Lu Han takes his seat.  They chat about inane things for some time before Lu Han says, “Um, Junmyeon, can I ask you for something?”

Junmyeon is sipping his coffee as he nods. “Yeah, sure.”

Lu Han licks his lips as he twists his hands, putting them on the table, “It’s um, about Jongin.”

Junmyeon puts down his coffee cup and frowns, “Jongin?”

Lu Han inhales, then speaks, “Yeah, so, okay, I feel terrible going behind his back but he has been avoiding going outside for days now.” He exhales and then puts his palms on top of the starched tablecloth, “So, three nights ago, he comes home with his hands all scratched up and bloody and with this look on his face like he’s seen something horrible. Then, he locks himself away in his study and even Zitao, his TA, can’t drag him to work.” His fingers curl again and he sighs, “I think, something may have happened? Maybe, someone attacked him? His jeans were all dusty you know. I am just, ugh.”

Junmyeon raises his eyebrows and asks, “So, you think he is in some sort of trouble?”

“Yes, yes. He is my Jongin still but his face that night…I have never seen him so terrified before, and he has worked around active volcanoes before.”

Junmyeon smiles a little but he nods, “Yes, yes okay. If he is still here when I return from work, I will try.”

Lu Han grins, his worry easing off his face, “Thank you Junmyeon! Thank you so, so much!”

Then, Junmyeon’s phone rings and when he picks it up, his face changes. His eyes turn cold and distant, and Lu Han wonders what happened. Junmyeon puts down his phone and Lu Han carefully asks, “Everything okay?”

Junmyeon stands up as he shakes his head. “No, not really Lu Han.”

 

_“A fifth body has been found, left thumb chopped off. And hyung, we know this kid. He is the son of the PE teacher at the high school.”_

This is the first time they have had a victim they already know. The PE teacher, Mr. Kang, came to the station last night to lodge a missing persons on his son Kang Eunwoo, who was supposed to be on a school trip and he didn’t return with his friends a day ago. His picture was circulated through the department last night, so identifying the body wasn’t difficult.

Eunwoo was found by the lesser used beaches. Minseok confirms he has been dead for twenty four hours. The usual marks of restrain are there, and the thumb is missing. The atmosphere is tense and gloomy, even the CSU refrains from their usual gallows humour. It starts drizzling just as the body is bagged and Jongdae quietly says, “It will snow soon, I think.”

Junmyeon feels the same, the tip of his nose is unbearably cold and Yifan walks up to him. He says, “Hey, we will figure this out.”

Junmyeon can’t even bring himself to agree. This is on his hands now.

 

Jongin hears a knock on his door and he says, “It is open, come in!”

Huang Zitao, his teaching assistant, and lab assistant too, pokes his head in and says, “Sir, I have the results.”

Jongin waves him in and Zitao doesn’t close the door all the way as he sits down on the chair opposite Jongin’s desk. He puts down the documents he has collated and says, “So, you were right. The energy field is increasing at really fast levels. Even doctor Hwang is stumped.”

Jongin nods as he reads through the papers. If he is right, this could be a monumental discovery. Or people in the scientific community will call him a loony and ostracize him. But either which way, he _has_ to know if he is right.

The door creaks open and Jongin looks up to see his son peering at him from behind it, his eyes half afraid, half expectant. Jongin sighs, motioning at him to come in. He has been neglecting his son for some time now, and he knows that and it makes him feel guilty. Yukhei greets Zitao and they bump their fists. Yukhei seems to like Zitao and his blond hair and his multiple ear piercings a lot. The child then comes to stand beside Jongin and he maintains distance, and it just about kills Jongin. Yukhei is afraid to approach him.

Jongin swivels in his chair and throws his arms wide open. Yukhei breaks into a big grin as he crawls on to his father’s lap. He tucks his face into Jongin’s neck and throws his small arms around him. Jongin presses his cheek into Yukhei’s soft, berry scented hair and sighs, “Hey kiddo.” He has been a horrible father to Yukhei over the last few days. He holds the child close to him and he feels terrible. He swears to himself that he will never do this to Yukhei again.

Yukhei’s voice is muffled as he says, “Hi appa.”

Zitao almost melts at the adorable scene in front of him. He only came to deliver the papers, so he gestures at his professor to say he is leaving, to leave the rather personal moment alone, and Jongin nods. As he walks outside, he runs into Lu Han, who asks, “Oh hey Tao, still on the delivery run?”

Zitao grins, pulling on the strap of his messenger bag, “Yup.”

“Is, you know, everything okay?”

“Oh, you know,” Zitao shrugs, “Prof has something going inside that head of his. The readings of magnetic force around the crack are at an all-time high, so he is obsessed now with understanding the why and the how.”

Lu Han nods, putting his hands on his hips. He knows how Jongin and his head work. It gets stuck on one thing and he will not stop till he finds out everything about it. Zitao leaves and he remains standing there, chewing his lip. He walks towards the study and he finds the door already ajar, so he braves a peek in and what he sees makes him smile.

Yukhei is nestled in Jongin’s arms and they are giggling as Jongin lightly tickles him. Some of the clouds hovering over Jongin’s face seem to have disappeared and even Yukhei—who has been wary around his appa’s sudden mood change—seems happier. Lu Han steps back and decides to let the father-son duo be and get to making dinner.

 

It is getting really late and Junmyeon watches the clock’s minute hand ticking towards nine thirty and he knows he should go home, eat because the last time he did so was an apple for lunch, but he can’t bring himself to. They have made zero progress since the morning and it is frustrating him so much. He groans and plants his head on the table, disgusted with himself. For the first time in his life, he _wants_ the ghosts of the victims to show up, and he will go touch them _himself_ for answers.

Jongdae, too, has been here, unsure if he should leave his partner like this. So, when Junmyeon slams his head down on the desk, he thinks they have had enough. He gets to his feet and walks over to Junmyeon’s desk. Junmyeon turns his head when he sees Jongdae hovering around him and he grunts, “What.”

“Go home boss.”

“You go home.”

“No,” Jongdae shakes his head, crossing his arms. “Don’t make me drag you out of this chair.”

Junmyeon groans again and sits up, glaring at Jongdae. The younger looks unimpressed and walks back to his desk to collect his keys. He says, “Come on, I will drop you.”

However, Junmyeon’s stomach grumbles as they are walking towards the parking and Jongdae laughs as he takes a detour. He stops at a restaurant and after a hearty meal of samgyeopsal, Jongdae drops Junmyeon at the hotel. Jongdae, at dinner, talks about everything but the case, and Junmyeon is grateful for that.

It is now almost midnight, and for some strange reason, Junmyeon is wide awake. He thought he would fall asleep the moment he hit the mattress but he was wrong. He cannot sleep, no matter how many sheep he counts. He sits up and turns the light on the lamp beside his bed. As he does, his gaze falls on the boxes he brought back from the temple. He hasn’t opened them yet.

Thus, he picks them up from the table and opens one. It contains old photographs, of Jangmi and this man, who Junmyeon thinks may be his grandfather. He almost screams when he realises how similar he looks to the man. They even have the same built—short but broad and Junmyeon laughs. There are more pictures of them on their wedding, a pregnant Jangmi, some photos that seemed may have been taken when they were in college. His grandmother was quite the flamboyant diva, Junmyeon notes. The pictures taken at the college have her dressed in the latest fashion and a rose stuck under her bun or braid at all times. Junmyeon thinks she looks amazing.

Then, he finds some photos of his mother, and his heart twists in pain. Sometimes, she is more like a faded dream than reality to him. There is his mother in her infancy, on her first day of school (where she is scowling so hard at the camera that Junmyeon feels like she is going to start crying any time now), on her graduation day, and then Junmyeon enters the frame.

He gasps and then smiles as he finds the picture of his mother holding him on the hospital bed. She looked tired but the smile on her face is so big. And he is basically a red worm swathed in cloth and to see himself like that makes him laugh. Then he finds more pictures of himself. Him crying on the floor, making a mess of food, him at the beach—crying _again_ , more of him and his mother on some mountain peak. He giggles at how upset he looks in those pictures. His face is red and he looks like he probably cried and cried on that day trip.

Junmyeon doesn’t find anything on his father though and it makes him wonder again. He never asked, but now, an idea slowly forms inside his head. He has the resources now to find his biological father though. But what will he do if he does find the man?

He shakes those thoughts off and moves on to the next box. This box is smaller than the other one and when he opens it, he is taken aback by the strong sandalwood scent coming from it. He recognises it as the perfume his grandmother really liked to use and the memory makes his eyes water a little. It is filled with a lot of paper and a few newspaper cuttings. They are mostly about violent cases of death. However, at the very end, he finds two things: a folded certificate and a torn page from a notebook.

He opens the certificate first and he sees it is his original birth certificate. He gasps, his head pounding. Back when he was fifteen, he needed the birth certificate for admission and he remembers how Jangmi claimed she had lost it, so Junmyeon had to make a new one. And since he was an orphan, he only had to put down his legal guardian’s name. Why did his grandmother lie?

His hands shake and his heart thuds loud and hard when he reads the name of his father. To his utter dismay, whoever wrote the certificate didn’t put the whole name. All Junmyeon gets are the initials _J_ and _H_. Then, he notices his grandmother signed it, and he starts to piece it. First, she lied, and then she is the one who signed this. Chances are, there was no love lost between her and his father. They hated each other, but why?

Then, he moves on to the notebook page and he opens it to find a newspaper cutting stuck on it. His eyes widen when he reads the yellowed page. It is not even main news, Junmyeon can tell, more like a blurb on the side. Apparently, there was a small earthquake of minimal intensity on the day he was born. His hands start shaking as he reads the note under it, written in his grandmother’s hand;

_Is this why he won’t leave us alone?_

Junmyeon gasps; what the hell is all of this supposed to mean? Who is “he” and why won’t he leave “us” alone? And Jongin was right, there had been an earthquake before but people forgot about it. He gently folds the note and puts it on his bedside table, reminding himself to go show to it to Jongin tomorrow. A small voice inside his head asks: _so he was born on the day an earthquake happened and he had to leave town when it happened again?_ There is something to this, Junmyeon realises.

He takes a bathroom break and learns that he has been up and lost in his grandmother’s things for a little over two hours. The clock reads two thirty in the morning and Junmyeon smiles. Witching hours, as his grandmother would say. She would say how the veil between their world and the other world would be thin. He remembers how he would never leave his bed during these hours but adulthood has made him a rebel.

He returns to his bed, and he is about to dive back into his blankets when someone bangs on his door. He is startled but then he hears Lu Han’s frantic voice, “Junmyeon! Junmyeon! Please open the door!”

Junmyeon jumps down from his bed and throws the door open to find Lu Han crying, “Junmyeon, Jongin is missing.”


	11. Your Ghost

Junmyeon pulls Lu Han inside and pushes him down on the bed. He sits down beside him and gently asks, “Okay, what happened?”

Lu Han takes a deep breath and then says, “Okay, so we went to bed by ten and I fell asleep pretty quickly but then I woke at two because I had to pee and I realised Jongin was not on his bed. After I returned from the bathroom, I decided to check the study and he wasn’t there either. Then I realised his winter coat and boots were missing.” He breaks down into sobs next, “Junmyeon, I have looked everywhere on the property, I cannot find Jongin!”

Junmyeon nods as he gets up. He puts on his winter coat and grabs his gun. Lu Han watches him with widened, frightened eyes. Junmyeon then asks, “Okay, you told me that he was refusing to go outside for the last three days. And you said he came home all injured. Can you tell me if something has been bothering him for the last few days though? Even before that? Like, maybe he let it slip?”

Lu Han thinks for some time, chewing his lips before he gasps, “He, he has been researching the fissure for quite some time now, and for the last few days, he has had his assistant collect data on it…”

Junmyeon nods, “I will start there then.” He takes his phone and he is about to leave when Lu Han gets to his feet. Junmyeon turns around and shakes his head, “No, you stay here, in case he returns, okay? I will call as soon as I can.”

Lu Han nods and flops down on the bed again and nods. Junmyeon then says, “Oh, do you have a car?”

 

Junmyeon borrows Lu Han’s car as he drives towards the fissure. He knows where it is, and even though he hasn’t been here in years, he finds the entrance for the forest trail leading to it easily enough. Turns out, this too is now a tourist attraction, so a board shows him he is at the right place.

He parks the car and grabs the flashlight. It is a moonless night but the sky is clear. He uses the flashlight to guide him as he steps on the trails. A light wind blows through the trees, making rustling noises and Junmyeon knows there are ghosts here and many of them. They are all watching him, but he resists the urge to look to his side and confirm if the shadow walking along with him is a man or a woman.

He feels the first tendrils of fear curl around him as he hears footsteps behind him. He takes a few deep breaths and tells himself to not turn around. He starts panting, the cold sweat blooming on his neck as he keeps walking, a bit faster now. He starts shivering and he can’t tell if it is because of the pyjamas he is still wearing or the phantoms now following him.

He soon reaches the clearing and to his greatest relief he sees Jongin standing in the middle, right atop the crack. His head is bowed down but Junmyeon recognises him all right. He shouts, “Jongin!”

Jongin is startled and he almost stumbles but he looks up and sees Junmyeon waving at him. He waves back, “Junmyeon?”

Junmyeon rushes down the slope and runs up to Jongin, who jumps down from where he was standing. Junmyeon says, “Lu Han was worried. You really should have left him a note!”

Jongin bites his tongue and sighs, “I thought he wouldn’t wake up.”

Junmyeon notices Jongin is holding a device shaped like a walkie-talkie in his hand. He asks, “What is that?”

“Oh this? It is an EMF reader.”

“EMF?”

“Electromagnetic field reader.”

Junmyeon frowns, “You know you could come here in the morning and do this.”

Jongin’s eyes then glaze over and his voice is thin as he says, “But isn’t this the witching hour?”

Junmyeon gasps and his eyes widen, “How, how do you know about that?”

Right then, more rustling is heard and Junmyeon watches with his heart in his mouth as the ghosts—yes, _ghosts_ —step out from behind the pine trees. There are many, Junmyeon realises there could be dozens of them and they are looking at him and Jongin.

Junmyeon grabs on to Jongin’s wrist about to drag him away when he realises Jongin is staring agape at the figures looking at them from the tree line. Junmyeon gasps, “You can _see_ them?”

Jongin asks instead, the surprise on his face evident, “ _You_ can see them?”

The figures are trying to come closer and Junmyeon feels nauseous at the strong, unclean energy they emit. He doesn’t wait for Jongin as he drags him, shouting, “They don’t mean well Jongin! Come on!”

Jongin shouts back as they climb the slope, “What do you mean they don’t mean well? How do you know?”

“Later!”

They reach the flat top and run for the car. Junmyeon can hear more rustling and he hears them murmur too. When ghosts talk, they don’t use words (unlike that old woman that night). It is more like loud static and disconnected signals overlapping. He can’t explain it but it is disjointed, scares him and he never likes hearing it. However, Jongin then says, “What is that sound?”

They reach the car and Junmyeon doesn’t even wait for Jongin to slam the door before he starts the engine. When they are back on the highway, Junmyeon says, “That sound? It is them talking.”

“What?” Jongin gasps. “How , how do you know that?”

Junmyeon swallows and takes a deep breath before saying, “I have been seeing them and hearing them since I was a kid Jongin.”

Jongin is gobsmacked. He gapes at Junmyeon for a long time before asking, “What do you mean by that?”

“I am, what everyone would say, a medium,” Junmyeon explains. “My grandmother was one too. We could see and sense them, the ghosts.” Then, he glances at Jongin, “How could you see them though?”

Jongin clears his throat, “I am not a medium, rest assured. I have never seen ghosts in my life before. But I have a theory…”

Then, Jongin tells him what has been bothering him for days. He tells Junmyeon about the spectre of the young woman he saw that started his obsession.

“So,” Jongin speaks, “The study of paranormal is a pseudo-science at best. But they have some points, especially when they claim that ghosts are nothing but energy. And it makes sense since you cannot create or destroy energy, only transfer it. Now, this energy has always been compared to electromagnetic energy, though it cannot be proven.”

Junmyeon frowns, “But you are a geophysicist, not a paranormal researcher.”

“That is how things overlap, Junmyeon. That fissure has been emitting such high levels of EM, it is shocking. My theory is that it is raising the dead.”

Junmyeon shakes his head, “The dead have always been there. You are only seeing them now.”

“But, why though, Junmyeon?” Jongin asks. “Maybe, the energy around the field is making them stronger, making them more visible than before.”

“But that would raise the question why I can see them? Even before the fissure, even when I am not in Hangu-nam?”

Junmyeon’s question stumps Jongin for some minute and he doesn’t say anything for a long time. When they make their way through the main gates of the hotel, Jongin suddenly gasps, “Oh my god, you could be sensitive to EM more than anyone else!”

Junmyeon frowns, “What?”

The car is at the front and Lu Han is standing at the entrance. Jongin sighs, “Just, visit me in my lab tomorrow. I may need your help on this. But say nothing of this to Lu Han, please.”

Junmyeon nods. Lu Han notices Jongin on the passenger seat and he rushes forward. Jongin opens the door and Lu Han flies into his chest. Lu Han pulls back then, lightly punches his sternum and then cries, “Do you know how worried I was?”

Junmyeon decides to let the couple have their moment as he returns to his room. He puts his phone and gun back in place. He removes his jacket and lies down on the bed, his head hurting but for a whole other reason now.

Can his condition be explained by science? Maybe if it is, maybe this time he can explain things better to Yifan.

 

Next morning, Junmyeon finds Jongin and Lu Han waiting for him in the eating room. Lu Han is gushing with gratitude and says breakfast is on the house, and then invites him over for dinner again. An employee calls for Lu Han’s attention, so he leaves Jongin and Junmyeon alone.

As soon as they are left alone, Jongin leans across and whispers, “Listen, can you come with me to the lab for a few minutes. I have been thinking last night, about you and your ability, and I may have a theory.”

Junmyeon nods, “Okay. What are we going to tell Lu Han?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.”

Thus, Jongin and Junmyeon finish their breakfast, and Jongin tells Lu Han he will drop the detective to the station. They drive away from the hotel and on the path to the university. Junmyeon finally cracks, “Okay, what is this theory of yours?”

Jongin smiles, his eyes shining, “So, EM can affect human brain, right? But sometimes, people can be amazingly sensitive to it. Like the lowest of the low readings will affect them. I am thinking maybe you and your entire bloodline may have been like, ultra-sensitive to it, to the lowest vibrations of energy in the air. Tell me, was your mother a medium too?”

Junmyeon shakes his head, “I don’t think so. She died right before I realised my own abilities.”

Jongin nods and falls into deep thoughts. Junmyeon replays all that Jongin said over and over in his mind. He splays his hand on his thigh and looks down at it. So, there is something off about his _whole body_ then?

They reach the university and Jongin takes them underground. Junmyeon gapes when the elevator doors open and the lab comes into view. Seems like the whole university might be sitting atop the lab, Junmyeon can see white walls and fluorescent lights as far as the eye can see. There are various machines beeping red, blue and green. Several people in lab coats are rushing about too.

Jongin pulls him to the side and they enter his office. The walls are of glass, so Junmyeon can still see into the main floor, and since the office is elevated, the view is rather impressive. He mutters, “Wow.”

Jongin grins, “Pretty amazing, right?”

A young, blond man enters the office and he looks down at Junmyeon, “Is this the subject?”

Being referred to a subject makes Junmyeon frown, but Jongin groans, “Tact, Tao, tact.”

Tao nods; then he introduces himself, “Huang Zitao, the prof’s chief assistant.”

“Kim Junmyeon, nice to meet you.”

Jongin then says, “Okay, Junmyeon, here is what we need from you—your blood.”

Junmyeon raises an eyebrow, “My blood?”

“Yes. We want to see how it compares to any normal person’s to EM. If you agree, mister Huang here will have you sign a form that is a guarantee from us that we will not harm you, or sell your blood anywhere.”

Zitao hands him the clipboard he was carrying and Junmyeon reads through the form for a minute before signing his name on the dotted bottom. Jongin grins and then looks at Zitao, “Tao, take him to Soojung’s lab, I have already talked to her. I will see you in a few.”

Zitao motions Junmyeon to follow him. They are at the elevator when the doors open and a man in his late fifties steps out. Zitao bows, “Morning sir.”

“Ah, mister Huang, yes, morning.”

The man bustles off and they step inside the elevator. Junmyeon asks, “Who was that?”

“Professor Hwang, the other head of the department. He is going to retire soon and it may make professor Kim the youngest head ever!”

They stop at the second floor and Junmyeon realises this is a genetics lab. A woman is already waiting for them at the main desk, her eyes drooping in sleep and coffee in hand. Zitao grins, “Ma’am!”

The woman jerks awake and gives Zitao a smile, “Oh hey. Is that the guy?”

“Yep.”

“Come in then.” Then she grumbles under her breath, “I can’t believe I had to ruin my sleep for that prick again.”

Then, Junmyeon signs more forms and they take his blood, quite a lot of it. Jongin joins them somewhere during the third phial. A total of five phials are taken and Junmyeon feels the tiniest bit dizzy. The woman taking his blood, a Dr. Jung Soojung, hands him toffee and tells him to eat sweets throughout the day if he feels faint. Junmyeon thinks his naturally ghostly complexion makes her worry a bit too much.

Then, Soojung keeps two phials for herself and Jongin takes the other three. It gets decided while they are returning to the ground floor that Zitao should drop Junmyeon to his office. Zitao easily agrees and they leave Jongin on the ground floor and head for the parking lot.

Zitao has a neat little cherry red electric car and Junmyeon decides he wants one. When he says so, Zitao grins, “Really? Then I will hook you up with the car dealer. I got it from Ulsan actually.”

Zitao talks about the work he does with Jongin and Junmyeon thinks he is quite nice and easy to talk to. They reach his office and Zitao grins, “So, wait, you are _the_ infamous detective aren’t you? My boyfriend told me about you, then I saw that article too.”

Junmyeon feels his face heating up, whether in mortification or not, he is not sure. He unbuckles his seat belt and murmurs, “Well, yeah. I am the infamous detective. Thank you for the ride though.” He is halfway out when he remembers, “Oh, you said boyfriend, do I know him?”

Zitao chuckles, “Ah, I guess he is too shy to speak but I am dating Sehun. He works with the CSU.”

Junmyeon smiles, “Ah, I know him. Smart guy, very enthusiastic about knife wounds.”

Zitao chuckles, “Oh detective, I know! I came home once to find him poking into a pig’s head and now, I keep all our knives hidden!”

Junmyeon laughs as he bids Zitao goodbye and then steps inside. Jongdae instantly accosts him and glares, “Where were you hyung? We are already meeting downstairs. They have found the poison.”

Junmyeon nods and pops in a lemon sherbet toffee in his mouth as he follows Jongdae downstairs. But before that can happen, the doors to the station burst open and an old man, severely injured, steps in screaming, “Help! She is going to kill me!”

Junmyeon and Jongdae turn around and when they get to the man, he has fallen to the ground and is shaking violently. There are stab wounds on the side of his body and blood is still dripping down his side. Junmyeon takes the scarf off his neck and pushes it onto the wounds to stop the bleeding and then he shouts, “Someone call an ambulance now!”

Chaeyoung steps forward and she gasps, “Oh my god, it is old man Kim from the bicycle parts shop!”

Junmyeon orders, “Get there now! And send another unit to his house! Go, go!”

Chaeyoung rushes out, her radio already buzzing. Jongdae takes the old man’s hand and he gently whispers, “Okay, sir, you have to tell me, did you see who did this to you?”

The old man gasps, “Of course I did. It was my wife.”

Jongdae widens his eyes and he is about to ask if the man is sure when a constable behind him speaks up, “Sir, his details show his wife died twenty years ago.”

Junmyeon looks at the officer and then back down at Kim, who wheezes, “It was her, it was her. My son, he saw her too.” Then he widens his eyes and cries, “Oh my god! My son!”


	12. Wind Flower

As soon as the ambulance arrives, Junmyeon and Jongdae leave for the crime scene on Jongdae’s motorcycle. When they reach the house of Kim Jungsoo, they are taken aback when they hear gun shots. Jongdae doesn’t even kill the engine as he hops down the motorcycle, leaving the vehicle to fall sideways. Junmyeon gets down at the same time and they both pull out their guns.

They heard the shots from the back of the house and when they get there, they find Chaeyoung pointing her gun at a woman, who, to Junmyeon, obviously doesn’t look alive. Her body is emaciated, skin devoid of any colour and in her hand, she wields a hatchet with blood dripping down from it. An injured man lies on the ground behind Chaeyoung and the woman shouts when she sees her superiors, “Sir! She, I can’t stop her!”

Jongdae aims for the woman and he shoots. Then, his jaw drops when the bullet embeds in her body and no blood comes out of her. She hisses and turns around, her murderous gaze now on Jongdae. Junmyeon pushes Jongdae’s hand down and says, “Stop it! You are only making her angrier!”

Jongdae widens his eyes as he looks at his partner. Junmyeon looks around the backyard and to his greatest relief, he finds a rusted iron rod propped against the boundary wall. He picks it up and rushes up to the woman. She swings her hand up too, but she is slower than Junmyeon as he pushes the rod into her torso. He steps back and she hisses in pain, which hurts Junmyeon’s head but he swallows, forcing the pounding away. The sound is grating on his nerves and he is sure he has never felt like this before.

The woman drops the hatchet and her body shimmers, like static on television before fading away. Chaeyoung asks, her voice low and tight, “What the fuck was that?”

Junmyeon heaves, pushing the bile trying to rise up his throat, “That was a ghost.”

Chaeyoung wants to refute but she saw what she did right now. So did Jongdae, and they both gape at Junmyeon. Jongdae mutters, “And how the fuck did you know you had to do that?”

Junmyeon pants, “I know because till last night, I was the only one who could see them.”

The son is taken to the hospital and Chaeyoung goes with the ambulance. Meanwhile, Jongdae looks at Junmyeon and the latter can see he has questions. Junmyeon groans, “Okay, I will answer everything. Let’s take a walk, come on.”

They leave the house and walk down the streets as Junmyeon says, “Here is the thing, I have been seeing ghosts since I was ten or eleven. My grandmother could see them too, and apparently, so could my great-grandmother. This is something I have been dealing with a long time.”

“I, I knew about the rumours around you,” Jongdae says as they walk under a bare tree, “How kids would tease you. Even after you left, they kept talking about the temple, your grandma and you.”

“Yes, I know. I never confirmed or denied anything, so I guess that made the rumours ten times worse.” He sighs, “Remember the time I spaced out when we were at the old pier?”

“The rape case?”

“Yep. I didn’t space out. The girl’s ghost was there and she touched me. She showed me how she felt when she was being raped, and then killed. I could feel her pain, her sense of betrayal, confusion and hurt.”

Jongdae gasps and stops walking. He grabs onto Junmyeon’s elbow and asks, “You, you can feel them?”

“If they touch me, yes,” Junmyeon replies. “I don’t want them to touch me, but they always somehow know I am a medium.”

Jongdae nods and let’s go of his hand. They resume walking again and a moment passes. They discover a bridge over the river and they halt their walk. They lean on the edge and watch the river flow underneath, the dried leaves floating on the dark, churning waters. Jongdae whispers, “You can feel their pain. That is awful. No wonder you looked like you were about to throw up that day.”

“It always had been like that,” Junmyeon admits. To be honest, sharing this with Jongdae is making him feel a lot better. “It’s the aftereffect if you will. My head hurts, my stomach turns and sometimes, I even have breathing problems.”

“That sucks.” Jongdae then perks up, “Wait, if you can see them, what about the serial murders?”

Junmyeon scowls as he shakes his head, “That is the catch Jongdae, I can’t see them, not those ghosts.” He watches a branch float down the river as he slowly says, “You know what, let’s go back. I need to look at something.”

Jongdae nods and they head back to the motorcycle. Jongdae lifts it upright and they sit down. Jongdae is about to turn the engine on when he remembers, “Wait a minute, you said only you could see them. How did I, Chaeyoung or the old man and his son see them?”

Junmyeon asks, making a note to tell Jongin about this, “I don’t know Jongdae. I have never seen them attack anyone either.”

Jongdae pouts but lets it go.

 

Back at the station, everyone is confused. Chaeyoung discovered, when the son returned to consciousness, that he had filmed the whole attack on his father, and he confirmed that it was his mother who died twenty years ago in a traffic accident.

Right now, everyone is huddled around her computer watching the woman stab her husband. The son was hidden behind the door to a shed. Right when his father ran out of the house, he remained hidden, shooting his mother ransacking the house, kicking down things and groaning as in a lot of pain. Some minutes later, she realised he was there and came after him.

The video stops there but the fact that a ghost or something like it was captured on film, shocks everyone. Some believe it, some are skeptical about it. Some believe in Chaeyoung, Jongdae and Junmyeon’s accounts later on. For some reason, both sergeant and constable leave out whatever Junmyeon did and said, and for that Junmyeon feels eternally grateful. He didn’t need people to think he was more of a freak than originally thought of.

His clothes were still splattered with blood from the old man, so he decides to call it a day after lunch and instructs Jongdae to send him the reports of the autopsy of the fifth victim to him. Jongdae understands, his partner does look paler than usual, so he covers for him.

As Junmyeon walks out of the station, he rues the absence of Yifan here right now. Yifan was in Seoul currently, attending a forensics conference in place of Minseok. This would have been the right opportunity to prove that Junmyeon has never been mentally ill, and he was never lying.

The moment he enters his room at Explore, he takes a long, hot shower and then ambles towards the kitchen. He finds Lu Han there, giving out instructions for dinner. He is surprised to see Junmyeon back so early, so he grins, “Hello there! Called in a half day?”

Junmyeon shrugs, “Well, someone bled out on me today, so didn’t feel like I could continue.”

Lu Han grimaces, “Ah well.” He is picking up a tray laden with food, “Would you like something to eat? I am taking this to Jongin, so they can make something for you too.”

Junmyeon shakes his head, “I wanted some coffee, actually.”

Lu Han smiles, “Follow me then, I will make you some at home. Yukhei would love to see his favourite police man again.”

Junmyeon nods; he did need to see Jongin again. Yukhei greets them and as soon as he sees Junmyeon, he grins, “Ah! Mister policeman!”

Lu Han laughs, walking towards the study, “After you left that day, he woke up the next morning wanting to be a policeman.”

Junmyeon grins, and lets Yukhei hold his hand, swinging them. He looks down at Yukhei and says, “Well, if you want to be one, then you will have to grow strong and big. And eat your vegetables, or else you will remain short like me.” Yukhei nods, his eyes widening as he takes Junmyeon’s words as gospel.

Jongin’s study door opens and the man himself looks out. “Junmyeon? It’s a good thing you are here!”

Lu Han glances between Junmyeon and Jongin, especially when Junmyeon frowns, “Oh, yeah, why?”

Jongin realises his mistake but manages to splutter out, “I wanted to ask you about the area by the, uh, temple?”

Junmyeon nods, that save was fantastic because he actually has a reply to that. “Oh, the temple? I lived there, fire away then!”

Lu Han groans, “Nini, Junmyeon had a bad day at work, can you not?”

Junmyeon waves him off, “No, no it is okay.” He takes the tray from Lu Han and smiles, “Here, let me.”

Lu Han relinquishes the tray with a shake of his head, “I am so sorry about my husband. I will get you your coffee.”

“Thanks!”

Junmyeon enters the study and Jongin quickly shuts the door. As soon as Junmyeon puts down the tray on the desk, they both speak at the same time, “I have something to tell you.”

Jongin laughs as he takes his seat and Junmyeon sits opposite him. The professor says, “You go first.”

Junmyeon nods leaning across the desk. He entwines his fingers and says, “Okay, here’s the deal. Today, a ghost attacked a family. And my constable and sergeant saw them too.”

Jongin whispers, “What? Where did this happen?”

“You know the pen factory by the north coast?” Jongin nods. “It happened in a house around that area.”

Jongin gasps, “But that is too far from the fissure!”

Junmyeon frowns, “The fissure? You think the ghosts being visible to everyone, that too during daylight, has something to do with the fissure?”

Jongin nods, frowning, “I thought that maybe the ghosts were popping out around the fissure because that is where the energy is strongest. But if they can show up miles and miles away, that means, the fissure is not the only cause.”

Junmyeon scowls as he leans back in his chair. They stay silent for some time, both stewing in their thoughts before Junmyeon asks, “Oh, what happened to all the blood you took from me?”

Jongin grins, “That’s what I had to say. I may be right Junmyeon. Soojung says she found something highly unique in your blood, but she says she isn’t completely sure, so she will tell me by tomorrow after she does some more tests.”

Junmyeon presses his lips as he asks, “You lot won’t be making a science experiment out of me, will you? I sort of almost felt like a lab rat today.”

Jongin looks affronted, shaking his hands, “No, no Junmyeon! I swear I won’t do that to you!”

“No more tests?”

“Well,” Jongin chews on his lip, “I did want to do a MRI scan…”

Junmyeon sighs and rubs his face, “What did I sign up for?”

There is a knock on the door and Lu Han opens it. He enters the room and Junmyeon gets up to relieve him of the tray. He sees Lu Han has also put down a plate of cookies on it along with his coffee and he says, “You didn’t need to do that.”

Lu Han grins, “Well, you see my son helped make me these a couple of days ago, and he wanted to know how you like them. Also, who gives their guest only coffee to drink?”

Junmyeon bows in gratitude and Lu Han leaves them alone again. Junmyeon picks up one cookie and as he takes a bite, he does like it a lot. He swallows before saying, “Oh Jongin, I remembered. I recently came into some of grandmother’s belongings, and I saw she had saved a small paper cutting of an earthquake that happened on May 22 in nineteen eighty six.”

Jongin almost chokes on the rice he was eating, “So I was right! The fissure is older than estimated!”

“That’s not just it; it is also the day I was born.”

 

Lu Han returns to the kitchen and frowns as he cleans out the coffee maker. He was at the door when he heard what his husband and Junmyeon were talking about.

_“Oh, what happened to all the blood you took from me?”_

_“I may be right Junmyeon. Soojung says she found something highly unique in your blood, but she says she isn’t completely sure, so she will tell me by tomorrow after she does some more tests.”_

_“You lot won’t be making a science experiment out of me, will you? I sort of almost felt like a lab rat today.”_

_“No, no Junmyeon! I swear I won’t do that to you!”_

_“No more tests?”_

_“Well, I did want to do a MRI scan…”_

_“What did I sign up for?”_

Lu Han bites down on his lower lip as he thinks. He knows his husband, so he knows he lied today in the morning when he said he was dropping Junmyeon to work and then he lied when he said he had business with Junmyeon. At first, he was concerned at why those two were suddenly so close, but the conversation he overheard worries him. Last night, Jongin lied him too when he said he was checking out nighttime EM readings. In the one year they have been here, Jongin has never stepped during the night to check anything. Jongin treasures his sleep above everything when he is not working, so what the hell exactly happened? And why is Junmyeon Jongin’s subject? What the fuck is his husband up to?

But more than anything, he sincerely hopes it is nothing illegal or that no one gets into any sort of trouble.

 

Later, that night, Junmyeon is up eating dried persimmons and texting Yifan. He smiles as he reads through Yifan’s recent woe of his contemporaries badgering him about the case back in Hangu-nam. This is something that began since the day in the café. Yifan and Junmyeon exchanged numbers, and slowly they started texting each other. Junmyeon, however, chooses to not say anything about the spectral attack today, and just talks about Yukhei’s ambition to become a police officer.

Yifan: _He is rather adorable, that kid. I met him a few times in town. How old is he again?_

Junmyeon: _He is four years old, so I am not rooting for him to join the force anytime soon. When I was four, I wanted to be an astronaut._

Yifan: _And I think I wanted to be an actor._

Junmyeon laughs as he types: _Well, remember the time we went to Busan on a school trip and that entertainment agent kept asking for your number? Imagine if you had, you could be a member of a boy group now! Or an idol-actor! You would have been so famous!_

Yifan: _Ugh, no. Do you forget that one, I can’t dance to save my life, and two, I can’t sing? -_-_

Junmyeon: _Well, I agree on the dance part. Your limbs never quite listen to your brain. But disagreeing on the singing part. You sang in the shower all the time, and I heard you. You were never awful._

Junmyeon smiles as he remembers the mornings Yifan would wake up earlier than him and take his shower. He would sing mostly in Mandarin but Junmyeon always liked hearing him sing. His voice was deep, perhaps a little unpolished (he did have no vocal training) but it was nice and unique in its own way.

Yifan sends his reply: _Oh my god, and all this time, I thought you were sleeping! O_O_

Junmyeon: _Lol, I never was. XD_

Yifan doesn’t reply immediately, and Junmyeon wonders if he fell asleep or something, but then the … appears and a few seconds later, Yifan sends a message.

Yifan: _Hey, when I come back, can we like, IDK, go on a date or something? I am serious on wanting you back and starting all over again, you know. I wasn’t lying when I said that you._

Junmyeon smiles though his eyes start watering. Yifan did say he wanted them to be husbands again as they returned from their impromptu lunch date four days ago. Junmyeon didn’t give an answer then, just chose to smile and squeeze Yifan’s hand because he was too overwhelmed. But now that some days have passed, Junmyeon finds his words and types:

_Yifan, there is nothing more in life I want than that. I hated being away from you these five years. It was maybe the worst decision I have ever taken. It seemed the right thing to do because we all thought I needed the space. But looking back, I wonder if I had stayed, you would have given me space even if we were living under the same roof. I am so sorry that I did that to you._

Yifan sends a reply after some moments: _Junmyeon, you have nothing to apologise for. I should have fought for you to stay and there was never a day that passed when I did not regret my decision. Let me make up to you for all the years we have lost._

Junmyeon is crying for real now and he presses his palm over his mouth: _Just come back._

Yifan: _I will, tomorrow. I will see you then, I promise. Dinner at the restaurant by the market bay?_

Junmyeon is about to type something stupid like “I love you” but then a notification from Jongdae stops him. The sergeant has sent across the autopsy report, so he quickly texts: _Yes, yes :)Ok, I got to go. I have some reports to look over. Good night and have a good night’s sleep, okay? I will see you tomorrow._

Yifan: _Good night Myeon._


	13. Epiphany

Junmyeon opens the report and starts reading. He frowns when he sees the cause of death was due to ingesting pure, concentrated hydrochloric acid. It is not a toxin, per se, just a corrosive chemical. The burns inside the mouth, the oesophagus and the stomach, which was all but mush, matches to HCl corrosion symptoms, and death must have been immediate and it happened twenty hours ago.

Junmyeon leans back on the headrest of the bed and keeps frowning. If the thumb on Eunwoo’s left hand wasn’t missing, the case would be unrelated to the other deaths completely. Why suddenly an acid instead of a poison?

Junmyeon does a quick search of poisons that start with a H, and he finds that they are all mostly natural toxins, and sometimes they don’t even kill people. That starts to make sense. Maybe, the killer is learned, but he might be depending on the internet to look for his methods of death too. Junmyeon shuts the screen of his laptop and sits there in the semi-darkness for some time. He had asked for a map of the area from Yoonoh a few days ago, and he moves from his bed to spread it out on the floor.

He was marking down the places where the bodies were found—he even put the location of the bodies found five years ago. He turns on the main overhead light and marks the spots Eunwoo’s and Gowon’s bodies were found. He stands up, looking down, and then he sees it.

All the bodies found were close to a wooded area. Each one of them. In Hangu-nam, the huge spots of greenery are mostly left untouched. The town prides itself on being the greenest places in all of southern Korea, so land developers tread lightly. The woods around the temple, the university and the tall limestone cliffs are virgin forests. And as Junmyeon looks down at the map, he finds that most bodies were found a mile or so away from the temple forests. He smirks as he realises what he has to do next.

 

Junmyeon walks into office with purpose. He has coffee for himself and Jongdae, and he feels mighty good. He has a plan and he has a date with Yifan today. Thus, today is a good day. He puts up the map on the board and waits for Jongdae to arrive.

His sergeant arrives ten minutes later and is surprised to find Junmyeon already there. Junmyeon has never reached the office before he has, so he is confused and his confusion increases when he sees Junmyeon also bought two cups of coffee. Junmyeon points at one Styrofoam cup and says, “Go ahead, one of them is for you. Vanilla latte, right?”

Jongdae picks his cup up and opens the lid, sniffing at it. It is indeed vanilla latte. He says, “I am surprised you remember.”

“I see and hear everything,” Junmyeon smiles. “Also, slightly insulting that you sniffed it. What did you think I would do? Trick you into drinking coffee that isn’t eighty per cent sugar?”

Jongdae further frowns, “Okay, what is up with you? You are smiling at eight in the morning. Highly suspicious, hyung.”

Junmyeon only smiles wider, “I have a date tonight.”

Jongdae almost drops his coffee, “Oh my god, are you cheating on Yifan hyung?”

Junmyeon roars in laughter. He calms himself down and says, “My date is my husband!”

Jongdae’s eyes widen and his linear eyebrows rise up his forehead in the comical way it usually does when something surprises but pleases him. “Oh! That explains everything!”

“And,” Junmyeon gets up and points at the board, “I know how to find wherever the murders are taking place.”

Jongdae was sipping at his coffee when Junmyeon announces that, so needless to say his vanilla latte spills down his chin and lands on his dark blue pants. “Wha-what?”

“Finish your drink and then call Yoonoh, Chaeyoung and the other two constables who joined us last week too. We are going on a manhunt, so we may need a whole team soon enough.”

Jongdae has never finished his coffee so fast. After he was done, Junmyeon and he pushed the board outside and Yoonoh, Chaeyoung and the other two new recruits, Seunghoon and Jihyo stare at them in rapt attention as Junmyeon speaks, “Okay, here’s what we are going to do. As you can see I have marked the areas in and around where all the bodies were found. This implies that the whole radius of the place of death is in these forests,” Junmyeon draws a whole circle, connecting all three forests. “Today, we go out and scour these areas. If you come across any buildings or sheds, observe and report back. Do not engage without backup.”

They all murmur in agreement. In a few minutes, Junmyeon teams up with Chaeyoung, Jongdae with Seunghoon and Yoonoh with Jihyo. The first team heads for the woods by the temple, the second to the university and the third to the cliffs.

As they are stepping out, Yifan’s car rolls up to the front and Junmyeon tries to be professional, but the moment Yifan steps out and sends the brightest gummy smile Junmyeon’s way, Junmyeon forgets about being professional. He rushes up to meet Yifan and for a second, they are not sure what to do next but Jongdae shouts, “Oh come on, what are you two, kids on their first date?”

Both Junmyeon and Yifan erupt into laughter, their faces flushed. Chaeyoung, Jongdae and Yoonoh glance at each other, grinning. Meanwhile, the two new out of town recruits look on with great confusion.  

Yifan looks at the rest of the people and asks, “Hey, where you all going?” Yoonoh briefly explains and Yifan scowls, “Let me come with you.”

Junmyeon frowns, hands on hips, “Absolutely not!”

Yifan frowns right back, crossing his arms, “I have a forensic kit right there in my trunk. If we find the scene, we can protect the evidence better.”

Junmyeon opens his mouth, but then shuts it, seeing the wisdom behind the words, “Alright, fine, but you don’t interfere if we do find the suspect. And if you trip and fall, I am not coming back for you.”

Yifan makes a face but Junmyeon and Chaeyoung get into his car anyway. Junmyeon tells Yifan where to go and Yifan asks, “Have you been to the temple since you came here?”

“Yeah, I did. Grandma still had some things of her back there,” Junmyeon replies.

“Oh? That’s nice. I still go over every tenth February though. I mean, she only had you, and me in a way, I suppose.”

The fact that Yifan still observed her death anniversary makes his heart swell with more affection than he can hold. He turns his head to the side, gazing at Yifan, his eyes beaming. Chaeyoung, from the backseat, glances between them and whispers to herself, “I ship this.”

Junmyeon hears her and turns his head to glare at her and fails when she smiles at him, his own lips fighting the smile as well; while Yifan doesn’t, so he asks, “Did you say something?”

Chaeyoung blushes, “Nothing!”

They reach the woods and Yifan parks the car. Junmyeon looks at his watch and says, “Okay, we split up and meet back here in one hour. Keep your phone on hand at all times, and again, if anyone encounters the suspect, do not engage till I arrive.”

Chaeyoung nods and takes off in one direction. Yifan grins as he takes out his kit from the back of his trunk, “You know, you look hot when you are giving out orders.”

Junmyeon is flustered and he scoffs, “Are we flirting now?”

Yifan leans in, that annoyingly hot smirk on his face, “Maybe?”

Junmyeon steps back, though he almost wishes Yifan could have stepped closer and kissed him. “Go be useful.”

Yifan laughs as he takes off in another direction. Junmyeon watches Yifan disappear into the foliage and then starts walking away himself. He enters the woods, and he hears the trees, lowly murmuring. He takes in a deep breath, relishing the cold, clean pine scent. There is a gentle wind blowing as he walks deeper and deeper into the woods. He avoids the fissure, skirting around it as he heads for the other side. He feels the heavy pull of the place, how it weighs and feels like a real thing. He hears rustling, breaking his meditation and he moves on.

He has been only wandering for some thirty minutes when Chaeyoung calls him, “Sir, eastern side by the foot of the Guleum peak, I found something, and some more. The place is empty sir.”

Junmyeon turns his head to the north and there stands the second highest peak in the town. He nods, “Be there in a few. Send a message to Yif—doctor Wu.”

Junmyeon and Yifan follow each other, minutes apart, and when they reach the area Chaeyoung mentioned, they find a small tin shed, that definitely looks handmade. Yifan frowns, “Do you smell it? The bleach?”

Junmyeon nods; they hear rustling and Chaeyoung emerges from the shrubs from the side and she says, “Sir, I found a body!”

Junmyeon swears under his breath. He jerks his head towards Yifan and says, “You go ahead, I will call it in.”

Yifan nods and heads towards where Chaeyoung pointed. He pushes through and finds the body of a young woman, fully clothed and with blood on her right hand. Yifan slaps on his gloves and sees her thumb was sliced off, but not severed completely. A small sliver of muscle still held on. He puts her hand down and bags them both. He cannot see any external injuries but he can safely assume that the killer left in a hurry.

Chaeyoung stands behind, on guard as he makes some preliminary observations, taking her temperature, “Dead for at least eight to ten hours.”

Chaeyoung says, “That means somewhere after midnight, right?” Yifan nods. “But sir, her body, the perp didn’t remove her clothes or take her whole thumb off. Why do you think so?”

Yifan shrugs, “I can’t tell. Maybe, he left in a hurry?”

Chaeyoung hums and crosses her arms, scowling. Then they both hear rustling. Yifan asks, “Did you hear that?”

Chaeyoung removes the gun from her holster and takes off the safety. Then, she feels the same uncontrolled fear she felt in the Kim backyard when the woman on the ground appears on her feet before them. Even Yifan slowly rises to his feet, glancing between her body and the thing he is seeing. Chaeyoung swallows, trying to reel in her fear. The woman starts hissing, gurgling next as if trying to talk. Then, Chaeyoung screams, “Sir! Detective KIm!”

Junmyeon enters the area and he gasps when he sees the ghost. He feels her aura; the dark, disturbed and twisted energy rolling out in waves from her. He tells to Chaeyoung, “Constable, go find something iron, now!”

Chaeyoung rushes off towards the shed as Yifan gapes. He slowly says, “All those years ago...you…”

Junmyeon takes in Yifan’s ashen face and fearful eyes. He grabs Yifan’s elbow and shakes his head, “Not now.” He turns to look at the woman and slowly inches his way towards her. He had never seen a ghost of any of the serial murders before, so in a way, he is eager to know, to solve this faster. She suddenly eases down, and stops making incoherent noises. Her attention focuses on Junmyeon and Junmyeon only. She reaches for him and Junmyeon meets her halfway.

Then, her hand touches his. It feels like multiple knives stab into his flesh all at once. The pain knocks his breath out and Junmyeon realises his knees hit the ground when the wetness of the cold earth seeps through the fabric of his pants. He closes his eyes and sees things: a dark room, a damp scent and a low, masculine voice wheezing. He feels the fear, the absolute hopelessness when she realises she will not be making her way out of the shed alive. Her arms and feet cuffed and she can’t escape them. He feels her nausea after something green and weird smelling is forced into her mouth. Then, he feels her breathing slow, her head feels dizzy and then the numbness spreads all over her legs and arms. Then, the death--dark, cold and _angry_.

He hears a loud cry somewhere and then the icy hand on his hand is gone. He opens his eyes and from the ground, he looks up to see Chaeyoung on the opposite side, her eyes wild, her chest heaving with an iron pan in her hand. He opens his mouth to thank her; instead, he throws up his breakfast.

He falls forward with his hands on the ground as he keeps throwing up, unable to breath. He feels hands wrap around him and he sucks in a deep breath or tries to as he sways. The hands hold him up and Yifan’s voice sounds strained as he says, “Junmyeon. Junmyeon, please breathe. Fuck, you look like you are about to have an attack! Fuck!”

But Junmyeon _can’t_ breathe. That is the most sensory information he has received in years. His lungs can’t function, his airways feel blocked and he doesn’t have his inhaler with him. His whole chest feels constricted, like something is squeezing them harder and harder. Yifan pushes him upright and he chants, “Inhale with your nose, exhale with your mouth, come on!”

Junmyeon tries, he really does, but the air feels like is not entering his lungs. He can’t do it. Yifan curses and then picks Junmyeon up. Yifan shouts at Chaeyoung, “Stay here! I am taking him to the hospital!”

Junmyeon still tries to breathe in through his nose as Yifan walks as fast as he can through the woods with his dead weight slowing him down. Finally, after trying for a long time, he can finally push air through his nose and breathe out through his mouth. He starts counting in his head, his face tucked against Yifan’s chest. He can smell Yifan’s calming earthy cologne, and it somehow helps him.

They finally reach the car at the twenty ninth inhale and Yifan puts him on the back. Junmyeon stays seated—he remembers what Yifan said about how lying down constricts lungs.

Yifan starts the car and he probably breaks all the red lights but they reach the hospital in record time. Junmyeon feels Yifan pulling him out from the car and then supporting him as he opens the ER doors, shouting, “Help! My husband is having an asthma attack!”

Two nurses rush forward and grab Junmyeon away. They find him an empty bed and start working on him. A nebulized bronchodilator is pressed to his face and three to four pumps later, he finally feels his airways clearing and his lungs expanding with air. He inhales deeply and the nurse pats his back, rubbing circles on his back, “There, there, you should be carrying your inhaler dear.”

The other nurse hands him water and wipes. Junmyeon gulps mouthful of the water, swishing it in his mouth before swallowing, and then scrubs his mouth. Junmyeon mutters, “I don’t have these attacks regularly ma’am.”

She turns to Yifan and says, “He is okay now. Please make sure he is carrying his inhaler on him all the time.”

Yifan crosses his arms and glares at Junmyeon, “Oh, I will make sure he does.”

The nurse leaves them alone and Yifan doesn’t even wait for her to be completely gone before he pulls Junmyeon into his arms. Junmyeon makes a small sound as the air gets knocked out of his lungs again, but in a good way. He throws his arms around Yifan’s waist and nearly melts at the embrace. He realises how much he has missed this, being in Yifan’s arms, pressed against his warm, firm chest. He whispers, “Oh my god, I missed this.”

Yifan tightens his hold and mumbles into Junmyeon’s hair, “I missed this too.”

To Junmyeon’s utmost dismay, Yifan pulls back and cups Junmyeon’s face. His eyes look wet and he sees the love in them as clear as day. But then the small smile on his face goes away as he says, his voice hoarse, “I didn’t believe you all those years ago, I am so—”

Junmyeon shakes his head and pulls Yifan down by his neck. He presses his lips against Yifan’s to shut him up, but it surprises them both when their lips touch. Junmyeon was only looking to make Yifan stop talking but then Yifan kisses him right back and proceeds to steal Junmyeon’s air the right way.

Their lips slide against each other, like it always has. The way Yifan still remembers to tilt his head to the side, the way Junmyeon still knows how to trap Yifan’s lower lip between his lips, to suck on it. The kiss is not just a kiss; it feels like coming back home, finding the missing jigsaw piece in their souls.

Yifan pulls back first and his chest is heaving as he grins down at Junmyeon, who grins right back, “Ok, maybe I missed that more.”

Yifan chuckles, “Okay, time to come home Myeon, please.” His face gets all serious again as he says, “And this time, I promise I will listen to everything you have to say.”

 

The CSU team comes out in full force at the shed. Chaeyoung stayed back, watching over and when Jongdae arrives, she pulls him to the side and whispers, “Oppa, it happened again. A ghost, the ghost of the girl.”

Jongdae gasps, “What? But hyung said he had never seen the ghosts of the serial killings before.”

Chaeyoung looks a little confused, but then she continues, “There’s more. I think the detective had some sort of breathing attack? Doctor Wu took him to the hospital.”

Jongdae gets worried at that. He looks at his phone, itching to call but then he hears someone call his name. He returns to the shed, where the yellow tape is out and every inch of the space is being photographed and numbered. Seunghoon says, “Sir, we found this.”

Jongdae looks down and sees Jihyo is carrying a small box of clothes. They are all wearing gloves, so Jongdae rummages through the things. He frowns, “There are only four pairs of clothes.”

From the floor where doctor Kim Yongsun is collecting trace, she says, “Without more testing, I can hypothesize, at least three to four people were held here.”

“But we have six bodies,” Jongdae says.

Yongsun shrugs, “That’s for you guys to find out.”

Yixing is down here too, prodding through the various bottles and jars on the solitary table at the back of the room. He bags all of them and says, “Okay, I can safely say the fluoride poisoning was done here. The rust removal bottle is here.”

“So,” Jongdae slowly says, “There has to be a hideout like this somewhere else. Fucking hell.”


	14. Chance of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some serious science fiction ahead  
> and by science "fiction", i mean absolutely fictional science....like if you have 3 degrees in biology, look away.

Five years ago, on an unusually warm July night, Junmyeon and Yifan were woken up by their house shaking. They had rushed outside, only to hear their neighbours running outside too, shouting that it was an earthquake. Junmyeon grabbed Yifan’s hand and they raced down the streets too, trying to find an open space where no tree or cable post will be able to fall on their heads and injure or kill them.

Their house was not far from the sea, so they, along with a few neighbours, made their way through the woods and emerged on the beach below the tall limestone cliffs. They watched in awe as a huge crack formed on the side, threatening to spill the cliff apart. However, it didn’t, and they all sighed in relief. The earth stopped shaking and they all murmured amongst themselves if it was safe to return.

Then, a minute later, it started shaking again and this time the sea too started rolling violently. They were far enough from the sea but the waves crashing against the rocks was a terrifying sight indeed, and to witness nature at her most beautiful, raw side was a humbling experience for all.

Except for Junmyeon, who started screaming in pain as soon the second wave hit. When Yifan asked him what’s wrong, Junmyeon screamed about the three naked people trying to touch him and talk to him at the same time. His head was bursting, his heart was exploding in his chest and the waves of nausea were too much for him to take. He was burning up but with an ice cold fist around his neck. He remembered then, how he would submerge in the clay pot filled with water when the voices of the dead got too loud because water always drowned those noises, muffled _their_ pain, so he did the next best thing.

He jumped into the tumultuous sea.

“That’s,” Junmyeon explains to his husband after five years, “That is why I jumped Fan. I wasn’t going crazy,” he scoffs, “Okay, in a way maybe I was, but I wasn’t hallucinating.”

Yifan swallows; the guilt pierces through his chest and he wants to beg for forgiveness. They are seated at the dining table in Yifan’s house, Junmyeon’s too, as they talk. The light has dimmed outside as their teas turn cold. Yifan didn’t change a single thing about the house after Junmyeon left. It was Junmyeon idea to remove the walls in the kitchen and dining room, replacing two third of the walls in both spaces with floor to ceiling windows. The glass doors to both rooms go out into the backyard and a high boundary wall provides them all the privacy.

Yifan inherited this house from his mother, who decided to return to China. They moved in after three years of their marriage, after three years of living above the coaching center in a flat. Junmyeon and Yifan kept the original cut-stone work of the interiors but replaced all the glass frames with black metal and even put a wrought iron balcony. It is a beautiful house, and Junmyeon looks around the warm hued interiors and rues how he didn’t get to enjoy it fully. He left within months of moving in here.

Yifan finally speaks, his hands twisted on the table, “I am so, so fucking sorry. I said all those things to you, I didn’t understand. I was so—”

Junmyeon leans across the table and puts his hand on Yifan’s as he says, “It’s not your fault. I couldn’t make you understand. And I thought, if I stayed, you would start thinking I am a freak too.”

Yifan gasps and his lips part as they tremble, “I would have never! Gosh, Junmyeon I loved you, I still love you. Why would I ever think of you like that?”

Even though the admission of love melts Junmyeon’s heart, he has to finish speaking, “You were the town’s golden boy. You won championship after championship for the school, then cracked the medical entrances at first try, scored the highest in the region, and started on your way to become a doctor. All my life, I kept wondering why _you_ would choose _me_ , so when my secret was revealed, I left before you could change your mind about me.”

Yifan sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose, “No, fuck. Junmyeon, I loved you for who you were. You are kind, smart and the most beautiful person I ever laid eyes on. I know you used to struggle with your self-esteem when we were younger, but I watched you grow into a brave, strong, confident police officer. I always knew you would make detective, and you did.” He puts his hand over Junmyeon’s and he makes sure he is holding Junmyeon’s gaze when he says, “I am so proud of you, you don’t even know Myeon. I may have never contacted you, but I saw your name in the news every now and then, and I would feel so happy about that. My feelings for you never changed Myeon, and they never will. You are my whole world.”

Junmyeon’s lips part as he hears Yifan speak. Something tremendous is trying to claw out of his chest, rip his bones apart and make his heart escape its prison. He feels his eyes watering as he stands on his shaking feet and walks around the table. Yifan gets up too and Junmyeon all but crashes against his chest.

Yifan holds him, just like he always has and lets Junmyeon cry into his shirt. He is crying too, his teardrops landing on Junmyeon’s hair, and for several minutes, they stand there, embracing and not saying a single word. The way they fit together hasn’t changed, will never change and that makes Junmyeon’s heart soar.

Thus, he pulls back and looks up at Yifan with his teary eyes and whispers, “I love you Yifan, I love you so god damn much that if anything ever happened to us again, I might die. Being without you has been like living with no air Fan, it has been worse than an asthma attack.”

Yifan presses his palm on Junmyeon’s cheek and puts his forehead against Junmyeon’s as he says, “I am here, you are here, and I am not leaving you ever again.”

“Neither am I.”

Their lips meet halfway, sealing the promise they made. As Junmyeon’s toes curl at the sweetness of their kiss, he knows, this is his second chance, and he will not be running anywhere anytime soon.

 

Jongdae walks down the corridor, plastic packet in hand as he comes to a halt in front of Yixing’s office. As expected the man is in the lab, hunched over his table, furiously scribbling away. Jongdae knocks on the glass door and Yixing looks up, a smile blooming on his face, his dimple making an appearance. He waves Jongdae in and as soon as the latter pushes the door, Yixing hops down his stool and points at the packet, “Do I smell jajangmyeon?”

Jongdae grins, “Yes, yes you do. I decided to buy you dinner.”

Yixing blushes; he motions for Jongdae to sit down on the couch. He joins Jongdae and they start opening the packages. The smell of food makes Yixing’s stomach grumble and he digs in, even though the noodles are steaming hot and they burn his tongue.

Jongdae scoffs, blowing on his noodles, “You may want to slow down hyung.”

“M hungry,” Yixing growls back. He swallows the food down (he didn’t even chew properly) and speaks, “I think the last thing I had to eat was like an oatmeal cookie with my coffee like in the evening?”

Jongdae frowns, “Go on like that and you will fall sick real soon.”

Yixing pouts, “I can’t keep track of time when I work. Then eating just slips my mind.”

“Well, from now on, I am bringing you food.”

Yixing widens his eyes but Jongdae has a very determined expression on his face so he blushes and bows his head, “Well, you will have to let me pay then.”

Jongdae scoffs, “Fine, then. As long as you are eating and not wearing yourself down.”

Yixing smiles again, feeling a whole lot more shy suddenly. He is thirty one years old for heavens’ sake! How is a man three years younger than him giving him such giant butterflies in his stomach? Absolutely ludicrous.

They eat in silence and when they are finished, they clean up and Jongdae joins Yixing at his table. He asks, “So, are you going to be here all night?”

“No, Jungkook will come over by ten to take over. Someone has to be here when the results come through, so I sent him home to rest.”

“Oh, that is two hours from now.” He yawns and stretches, “Okay then, I am gonna plant myself on the couch and take a nap as I wait.”

Yixing asks, taken aback, “Wait?”

“For you, of course.”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

Yixing is silent for a moment before he slowly smiles, “As far as first dates go, this was unexpected.”

Jongdae almost falls off his stool, “What?”

Yixing returns to look at his monitor as he says, his cheeks on fire, “I, I know you kissed my head that day.”

Jongdae is the one blushing now. Okay, it was Yixing’s fault for looking like a kitten curled up on his couch. Jongdae couldn’t resist, he had to drop the lightest kiss on the top of Yixing’s head. And he is aware that is the creepiest thing to do on the list of top ten creepy things to do when others are sleeping, but he couldn’t _resist_.

Yixing finally looks back at him and says, “Maybe, one day, you can buy me noodles in a proper restaurant.”

Jongdae feels like his heart might just burst out of his chest. He grins, “Noodles? I will go catch a fish for you myself!”

Yixing laughs at this and Jongdae cannot resist again (his self-control is somehow always running low around Yixing it seems) as he leans down and kisses Yixing’s cheek. The doctor gasps but Jongdae just grins, “You are too cute hyung.”

Yixing tries to look serious as he points at the couch and say, “Go take your nap please.”

Jongdae guffaws but he does obey as he lies down on the couch. He crosses his hands under his head and looks up to see Yixing smiling fondly down at him. He says, “I like you, hyung.”

A pretty pink colours Yixing’s cheeks as he says back, “I like you too, Jongdae.”

 

The fact that both Junmyeon and Yifan enter the station at the same time with Junmyeon wearing larger sized clothes escapes no one. People are even more shocked when Yifan grabs Junmyeon’s hand as they walk towards the elevators. Loud gasps are further heard when everyone notices the silver bands on their ring fingers. Junmyeon can feel his neck heating up and Yifan just smirks.

Nothing of the carnal nature happened last night since Junmyeon was sort of tired by his whole ordeal. They just kissed and then cuddled in bed, sharing lazy, slow kisses till Junmyeon inevitably fell asleep on Yifan’s chest. It felt so _right_ to lay together in the large bed that Yifan hated because it was much too big for him. He woke up to a text from Minseok and Yifan received the same, so Junmyeon decided to leave from the house itself. However, the issue of his clothes came up. And it was solved when Yifan said some of his old clothes are still here and he can borrow anything from Yifan anyway.

Junmyeon found a pair of jeans that fit a bit loose around his thighs, but he put it on anyway. He ignored the t-shirts and sweaters and dived into Yifan’s closet instead. He pulled out a woolen sweatshirt and a parka and wore them.  He was sort of drowning in the jacket but it smelled like Yifan and he was much too pleased about that. As Yifan got ready, Junmyeon went through his drawers for a pair of socks when he found the red velvet box that Junmyeon recognised too well, that Yifan kept hidden in his sock drawer because he never gave up on the hope of them being together again.

More emotions and smiles later, they put their wedding rings on and couldn’t stop gushing about it till Minseok texted them _again._

They step into the meeting room together and Minseok is ready with a glare but then he notices how they entered the room together, hands laced and he gasps. Yixing, Jongdae and Chaeyoung notice it too and it is Jongdae who shouts, “Are, are you guys wearing your rings?”

Junmyeon feels his whole face warming up, and he is sure he resembles a tomato right now as Yifan declares, “Yes, we are officially Kim Yifan and Junmyeon again.” Yifan did take Junmyeon’s name since he was the last in his line, but he never quite changed it on his official documents, so as he says it out loud, he thinks he should get to that sooner than later.

The room erupts in cheers and Minseok looks like he is about to cry as he comes over to hug them. Jongdae too joins the hug while Yixing smiles and Chaeyoung is grinning from ear to ear. Minseok releases them and says, “I have to text Wheein right now!”

They all sit down and as soon as Minseok done with sending the terribly good news to his wife, Yixing begins, “The thing used to kill the victim, miss Choi Jihyo, is Indian poke, pokeweed or what it is scientifically known as Phytolacca americana. As the name suggests, this doesn’t grow anywhere outside the American continent.”

Chaeyoung groans, “Bet he is still using Kim Kisoos’ details to buy stuff.”

“But there is another detail, which made the pokeweed ten times more dangerous for her,” Minseok sighs. “She was three months’ pregnant.”

Junmyeon frowns, “Jongdae, her background?”

“The usual.”

Junmyeon gasps, his eyes shining, “I may have figured out how he lures them in.” He gets to his feet, and he doesn’t have to put anything up on the board as the case details are all up on the board. “Every single victim, from now and from 2013 has one thing common: they come from low income backgrounds.

“The victims from the first murder way back in 2013 to the seventh in 2018 were all struggling with employment with an ailing parent, sibling or relative. The eighth victim, Kang Eunwoo, as his father supplied was a troubled youth and had already tasted the air of juvenile jail. The last, the ninth, was pregnant within the right window for an abortion.” He pauses and he can see that Jongdae is slowly working it out, and then he continues, “So, our perp did his research. Probably hung around employment agencies; then schools or even the clinics. He was looking for young, healthy victims who could be attracted easily enough with easy money or an illegal abortion.”

Chaeyoung nods, “I will check to see if Jihyo tried to go for an abortion or not.”

Jongdae slowly gets to his feet as he says, “I will hit up all the employment agencies from the entire southern region.”

Junmyeon points at Chaeyoung, “Check to see if Eunwoo was perhaps looking for cash. Ask his friends, don’t flash your badge and probably don’t interrogate in a uniform.”

Chaeyoung laughs, “Don’t worry boss, not my first time dealing with teenagers who think they are too cool for school!”

He further instructs Yixing to send him the tox results. They all leave except for Minseok, Junmyeon and Yifan. Minseok is collecting his data as he smiles at them, “I am very, very happy to see you two like this again, okay? And Wheein is as well.” He squeezes Yifan’s shoulder as he leaves the room. Junmyeon murmurs, “Of course, you are.”

Yifan presses his lips together and smiles, looking up at Junmyeon, “You know, that was kinda hot.”

Junmyeon groans and rolls his eyes. He has just about forgotten just how shamelessly flirtatious his husband can get. He shoves Yifan’s shoulder and shakes his head, “Oh, shut up!”

Junmyeon’s phone rings and he pulls it out of his pocket to find Jongin calling him. “Hyung? Hey, you may need to come to the lab. No, I won’t put you under a microscope. I just got your blood results back.”

Junmyeon nods, “Okay, see you in twenty.” Yifan raises an eyebrow in question, and Junmyeon answers, “Doctor Kim Jongin took my blood because he has a theory about the reason behind me being able to see ghosts. And he also has a theory why you all can see them too. Come with me if you want.”

Yifan is instantly curious, thus he agrees and on the drive to the university, Junmyeon explains Jongin’s electromagnetic force theory the best he can. Yifan’s eyes widen when Junmyeon is done and he is breathing a bit fast as he says, “You know, that sort of makes sense.”

“Well, still sort of escapes me but I didn’t like science back in school, so there’s that,” Junmyeon chuckles. He then becomes a bit grim as he says, “There’s another thing.”

“Oh?”

“I found a clue on my father.”

Yifan gasps, “What? You did? How? When?”

Junmyeon chuckles, though he doesn’t sound convincing but he says, “I found my original birth certificate, signed by my grandmother and all I have are initials—J and H. Do you remember how she kept saying she had lost my certificate all those years ago? She lied Fan, why did she lie?”

Yifan slowly says, “She didn’t like your father much, did she?”

Junmyeon nods, “I thought the same thing you know.”

They pass through the university gates and find Jongin pacing at the main entrance of the university itself. He yelps when he sees them but is taken aback when he sees Yifan stepping down as well. Junmyeon scratches his neck, “You wouldn’t mind me bringing my husband along, do you?”

Jongin’s jaw drops. “Hus-husband? When did you even get married? You just landed here!” Needless to say, Jongin doesn’t read the local news and Lu Han may have mentioned it, but he may have not been even listening.

Yifan laughs, “It is a long story doc.”

Jongin looks unconvinced but he ushers them in. They head for the underground labs and Junmyeon finds Soojung and Zitao waiting for them. However, Soojung and Yifan shout at each other when they see the other, “You!”

Soojung laughs as she gives Yifan a hug. Junmyeon looks on in much confusion, and judging from Jongin’s face, he is confused too. Yifan finally explains when Soojung steps back, “We went to college together. Then you left for the US.”

“Sorry I missed your wedding though!” Soojung grins.

Yifan grins back, his hand waving at Junmyeon, “Well, here he is, the husband.”

It is Soojung’s turn to look flabbergasted and Junmyeon sighs inwardly at the absurdity of it all. Here, he is, about to learn something either earth-shattering or disappointing, and everyone so far have been gasping over inconsequential things. Jongin laughs, “What a small world!”

Soojung nods but then she gets to work as she picks up her folder, “Anyway, it is good you are here with a doctor too Junmyeon-sshi. These are your blood reports, and needless to say, I have never seen anything like this.” She hands the folder to Yifan, who opens it and Junmyeon peeks in. The charts and the numbers don’t make any sense to Junmyeon, but it makes sense to Yifan as he gasps, “How, how is this possible?”

“Exactly,” Jongin agrees. “And Junmyeon is not an isolated case, he says his grandmother had the same ability, and so did her mother, right?” He aims the last words at Junmyeon, who nods, feeling incredibly dumb between all these scientific people.

He tugs at Yifan’s sleeves and asks, “What does it mean Fan?”

Yifan answers, his voice pitched high in awe, “Your cells are heavily mutated Junmyeon. And when I mean heavily, I mean if we compared yours and ours right now, you wouldn’t even match sixty per cent of ours.”

Junmyeon parts his lips as he frowns. He looks at Jongin and then Soojung, who nods, “You and your entire family are literal evolutionary wonders Junmyeon-sshi.”


	15. Bittersweet Symphony

When Jangmi said it was in his blood, he didn’t know—and he is sure neither did she—how literal it is. Soojung conjectured that somewhere in the very beginning of his family’s line, an ancestor’s cells may have mutated due to high exposure to certain elements found in the nature, probably iron, cobalt or nickel that changed their entire DNA sequence and over the generations, this gene mutated into what Junmyeon is today.

Junmyeon, thus, says, “So, what you are saying is, I can sense electromagnetic forces better than anyone else?”

“Yes,” Soojung nods.

Jongin motions at Yifan and Junmyeon to follow him to a table backed at the corner. Jongin points at a microscope and says, “I have samples of Junmyeon’s blood and you should see how the blood reacts to EM.” The microscope is connected to a monitor, and Jongin sets off a low EM charge through the sample. Yifan and Junmyeon both look on in awe as the cells literally start vibrating and reacting to it. They push and pull against each other, as if trying to break away. “Now, Zitao,” Jongin says and the assistant changes the slides with some other sample, “This is my blood.” He sends the same charge through it, but nothing happens. “See? See the difference?”

Soojung adds, “I have never seen anything like this!”

Jongin says, “And that is why, you could see them Junmyeon, and I am sure if we got your grandmother’s samples, we would see the same thing.”

“The, uh—” he eyes Soojung, who smiles, “It is okay Junmyeon-sshi, I know. Jongin showed me last night. At first, I thought he was going to kill me in the woods but we saw a ghost. I have never ran so fast in my whole life. I was equal parts terrified and excited. This is massive…”

Junmyeon resumes, shaking his head, “So, that is why I can see them, the ghosts?”

Jongin nods, “Ghosts, if I am right, are nothing but bundles of energy. And you, with your biology, have been sensitive to them ever since. But now, that the very air of Hangu-nam is being slowly corrupted with unprecedented EM energies, I think it is affecting the ghosts too.”

“It is making them stronger, visible to everyone,” Junmyeon quietly says. “I, I have never seen them behave the way they do. They don’t go around attacking people Jongin.”

Soojung leans against a desk and nods, “I asked Jongin the same thing: _why_ are they attacking people? He told me about the attack, by the way. We know very little about the supernatural anyway.”

Junmyeon slumps against Yifan, who wraps a hand around him. “But, we need to find a way to stop this. You don’t understand…they don’t care about anything but hurting people. A mother came back from the dead to try to kill her own child. That is not okay.”

The silence in the room is heavy as each person mulls over Junmyeon’s words. Jongin and Zitao share a glance. They both realise they need to think about this, come up with a solution sooner than later then.

Junmyeon and Yifan stay there till almost lunchtime. Junmyeon agrees to the MRI scan. Yifan takes him to the restaurant by the bay he wanted to take Junmyeon for dinner. Junmyeon has fallen into a deep silence and even if the view of the sea from the table by the window is spectacular (they are having a nice day and the sun is shining at its strongest, the sea glittering and the seabirds out on their full force), he doesn’t see it. Yifan feels terrible, wondering how he can help him. But he supposes he really can’t, he can try still.

Yifan reaches forward, puts his hands over Junmyeon’s, which are balled on the tablecloth as he gazes out of the window, his eyes unseeing. He sighs, his shoulders sagging. Yifan says nothing, just rubbing circles on the insides of Junmyeon’s wrists. Junmyeon turns his head to look at Yifan as he smiles, a little sad, “I, I feel so like, I don’t know, out of place. Like my entire life has been shifted underneath my feet. What I knew, what I didn’t. I feel...lost.”

“Hey,” Yifan smiles, “You will be fine. You have me and all your friends, okay? Even if you feel lost, we are all here to help you find your way.”

Junmyeon smiles a proper smile now. He laces his fingers through Yifan’s and squeezes them. He leans forward and Yifan gets what he is trying to do, so he leans forward as well and they share a sweet kiss. Junmyeon leans back in his seat and grins, “Now, let’s order!”

They return to the station after lunch and Jongdae looks at them, eyebrows dancing and Junmyeon groans. Yifan laughs as he kisses Junmyeon squarely on the mouth in front of everyone else, and leaves Junmyeon blushing furiously. Jongdae chuckles as he pushes the door to their office open, “I got news for you, by the way.”

They enter the office and as they are sitting down, Jongdae grins, “So, guess who has a date this Sunday with Yixing?”

Junmyeon grins, “You finally did it, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah I did.” Then Jongdae gets all serious as he says, “So, they found evidence of four people being locked up in that shed. Choi Jihyo was certainly there, so was Gain, Jiwoo and Changhyuk. And as you said, I talked to every agency out there. Three of them came back to me and informed me that Gowon and Changhyuk were actively looking for employment, constantly getting rejected. Chaeyoung asked around Eunwoo and Jihyo’s friend, and she found out that Eunwoo had stolen money from his father that he wanted to return without his dad knowing, and Jihyo did confide in her friend that she was pregnant and trying to find money for an abortion.”

“So,” Junmyeon nods. “Everyone needed money. That is how he gets them Jongdae, with the promise of money.”

Jongdae leans forward on his desk, “But how? Like what is he using to lure them? If we figured that out, wouldn’t we know how to catch him?”

Junmyeon nods, “Yes, yes we would. But then, we would need to warn every unemployed youth out there and can you imagine the panic then? We need to figure out how to do this in a very sneaky way.”

“Where were you though?” Jongdae asks after a moment.

“Lunch, with Yifan,” Junmyeon smiles.

“You two left right after the meeting ended. You were having lunch for five hours?”

“Okay, okay,” Junmyeon laughs as he wonders if he should come clean. He thinks over for a while before saying, “We were at Jongin’s lab. Doctor Kim Jongin from the South River University’s geophysics department. He has been researching the, uh, ghosts, and he has a theory as to why you are all seeing them too.”

Jongdae tilts an eyebrow, “So, there is a very rational explanation for it then?”

“Yes, yes there is. A lot of it has to do with the earth’s magnetic pull, right here in Hangu-nam.”

Jongdae gasps, “Wicked.”

Junmyeon rolls his eyes, “I don’t know how wicked that is supposed to be. Anyway, stay safe okay. You don’t have any angry dead relatives out to kill you, do you?”

Jongdae laughs, shaking his head, “No, I am cool. And even if I do see something, iron, right?”

“Yep. That’s what my grandma would say—iron for protection and salt water for banishing.”

Jongdae’s smiles softens, “She sounds like a kickass lady.”

Junmyeon scoffs, “She was!”

“You don’t talk about your family much.”

Junmyeon shrugs, “Just me, mom and grandma. Then, mom passed away, so I moved into the temple with my grandma. She raised me.”

“And your dad?”

“Never knew him, never wanted to know him.”

“Really?” Jongdae tilts his head to the side. “Not even the tiniest bit curious?”

Junmyeon juts his lower lip out as he slowly shakes his head, “Not really, okay maybe when I was given to write this essay on your dad like in first grade? But I faked that essay, so who cares?”

Jongdae laughs, slapping the desk’s surface. Junmyeon feels some sort of fondness for Jongdae right now, he thinks. The younger man has made a space in his heart too he supposes. Jongdae may be loud and obnoxious at times, he is still a good cop, and a good man. And he is a friend too.

 

Junmyeon is heading out, the night air is seriously cold as he exhales and it fogs around his head; the weather warning snow tomorrow. He blows on his hands, thinking whether he should head for the house or the hotel. Yifan, then, makes his mind up for him when he walks up from behind and throws his arms around Junmyeon.

Junmyeon gasps in surprise, but he doesn’t look back to know who it is. He is leans back and turns his head to the side, smiling up at Yifan, “So…”

“So, you are coming with me, right?” Yifan says. “I will make you dinner.”

“As nice as that sounds,” Junmyeon says, “All my things are at Explore Yifan.”

“Time you moved in back, you know? The house is yours as much as it is mine.”

Junmyeon feels less cold as the warmth spreads from his hair to his toes at Yifan’s words. He kisses the underside of Yifan’s jaw and whispers, “I guess Lu Han needs to check me out before ten in the morning then.”

They head for Explore then, and Lu Han, though it is not in their rules and regulations, checks Junmyeon out anyway and he is all smiles when he learns Junmyeon is moving in with Yifan. There aren’t too many bags and Junmyeon, at the last moment, had donated all his dinnerware to charity, so he only had his clothes and books. It takes them only two trips, but everything is in the trunk next and they head for _their_ home.

Junmyeon can’t help but smile as he looks at the house, their house. They drag all of the bags into the house and flop down on the couch when they are done. Yifan had turned on the heating but it is still taking some time for the house to warm up properly, so Junmyeon scoots closer and Yifan happily pulls him into his arms. Yifan yelps when Junmyeon’s cold fingers slip under his shirt and splay on his back, “You are cold mister!”

“Ssh,” Junmyeon pouts, “I am a summer baby, you volcano.”

Yifan chuckles, “Noted.” He kisses the top of Junmyeon’s head and then asks, “And how are you feeling now?”

“Besides cold,” Junmyeon grins. But he knows Yifan isn’t asking about that, so he nods, “I don’t know yet? To learn I am even more of a freak than before has been an experience.”

Yifan scowls, “Will you stop calling yourself a freak? You are not. You are different, unique, special, and I would love you no matter what.”

Junmyeon looks up at Yifan, his gaze softened as he says, “Really? This doesn’t bother you at all?”

Yifan grins, “Of course it does because it bothers you but as long as you don’t go howl at full moons or try to drink the blood from poor helpless virgins, I am fine.”

Junmyeon laughs, throwing his head back and he can’t stop laughing. Yifan watches him, his eyes soft as his heart swells in love for the man and his beautiful smile. He leans forward and kisses the side of Junmyeon’s neck. Junmyeon stops laughing and he looks at Yifan, and it makes him realise just how familiar this whole setting is.

A winter night, a warm house, a couch and them. Junmyeon reaches up to cup Yifan’s chin and tilts his head to the side as Yifan leans forward first. Their lips meet and Junmyeon’s eyes flutter close. He feels Yifan’s finger tangle in the hair on his nape as he tugs his head back to kiss him deeper, to part his lips with his tongue, to nip on Junmyeon’s lips, to lick over every bite. Junmyeon’s hands move on their own as he puts them on Yifan’s chest, bunching up the sweater as he holds on to for his dear life. Yifan always leaves him breathless in the best way.

Junmyeon’s lungs need air but he cannot stop kissing him. Yifan pulls back for air and as he gazes down at Junmyeon, his dilated pupils, swollen lips and flushed cheeks, he bites his lip. Junmyeon gulps; Yifan looks like he wants more—his chest is heaving, his cheeks are pink and his eyes are hooded. And Junmyeon realises, he wants more too. So, he gets to his feet and they tremble lightly but he holds it up and drags Yifan to his feet. Yifan is a bit lost but he lets Junmyeon drag him up and then pull him down by the neck for another kiss. Junmyeon pulls back the next moment and whispers, “We need to go upstairs, now.”

Yifan’s eyes are wide as he nods. He takes Junmyeon’s hand and takes the lead as they make their way upstairs. The door is hardly open to their bedroom before Yifan crashes his mouth against Junmyeon’s again. Their lips slide against each other with a hot, needy mess. Junmyeon groans when their tongues rub and Yifan proceeds to trace every corner of his mouth anew.

Yifan’s large hands move down his back, sending tingles of pleasure down his spine. Junmyeon can feel their searing warmth through the fabric of his shirt. Then, they smooth over the curve of his ass and Junmyeon is astonished by that, but in a very good way. He _definitely_ remembers how that feels. He pushes Yifan back and he thinks the taller hits the wall but he isn’t sure. He can’t break the kiss to check and neither can Yifan, who squeezes down on Junmyeon’s ass, groaning how it still fills his large palms perfectly.

They do break the kiss and Junmyeon trails his mouth down Yifan’s neck, kissing and nipping along the expanse his neck. Junmyeon rips apart the collar button to gain more access. Yifan groans, “How can you lose weight and still have that perfect ass? And I have been checking it out since you walked in.”

Junmyeon laughs, his teeth scraping along Yifan’s pulse, “As if I knew. And you are still checking my ass out? You pervert.”

“Can’t, won’t help it. And I think I can ogle at my husband’s ass as much I want.”

Junmyeon laughs but it dissolves into a low moan when Yifan pushes his knee into his crotch and Junmyeon starts grinding on it, his cock slowly filling with blood, his teeth sinking into the base of Yifan’s throat. Yifan groans and knocks his head back on the wall.

Yifan pulls the sweatshirt over Junmyeon’s head, and then tugs the undershirt off as well. He puts his mouth under Junmyeon’s ear, the spot that would always make him weak and have him make the sweetest little noise. And Yifan sucks a mark right there and he is pleased to know that Junmyeon’s sensitivity hasn’t changed and it makes him moan. Yifan decides to check out what else he recalls as he flicks his thumbs against Junmyeon’s nipples. Junmyeon cries out, “Fan!”

Yifan grins against Junmyeon’s jaw as he murmurs, “Nice to know that I remembered the things that matter the most.”

Junmyeon chuckles, the goosebumps on his skin rising as he looks up at Yifan, “Let’s see what I remember, hm?”


	16. Baby Good Night

So, Junmyeon does remember right as he goes down on Yifan’s cock and lets the tip hit the back of his throat, hollowing his cheeks out. They shed clothes pretty soon after and Junmyeon pushed Yifan down on the bed. He trailed kisses all over Yifan’s torso before he reached the waistband of his underwear. Junmyeon would have liked to tease Yifan, but not right now. It has been too long for him, too long for Yifan.

He pulled down the briefs down Yifan’s legs and quickly stroked him to full hardness before wrapping his lips around the tip of his cock. He remembered the taste and weight of Yifan’s cock well it seemed because even if he couldn’t recall, his body did. He felt his gag reflex relaxing, allowing him to take more and more of Yifan down his throat. Thus, now, he has Yifan’s fingers tangled in his hair and he has reduced his husband to a moaning mess. He has been here for some time and he can tell Yifan is close to his undoing. He can see how the muscles of Yifan’s lower abdomen are tightening, his back is arching and his moans are getting guttural.

Junmyeon pulls back and licks the precum beading off the tip before lightly sucking on the head. He cups Yifan’s balls, squeezing them and Yifan groans, “Fuck, you are going to make me cum Myeon.”

Junmyeon hums, his mouth pressed against the vein under Yifan’s cock, “That is the goal you know.”

Junmyeon presses his thumb down in the slit and soon, Yifan moans low and deep as he spills all over Junmyeon’s hand. As he slowly comes down, he says, “Fuck, really, five whole fucking years and it was just me and mister right hand.”

Junmyeon laughs as he scoots over, his thighs on either side of Yifan’s torso. “That is sad, yes. But not sadder than me, I suppose. All those toys and none of them was the real deal.”

Yifan laughs and reaches for Junmyeon, who complies and leans down. Yifan cups Junmyeon’s neck and they kiss. Yifan flips them over and Junmyeon wraps his legs around his waist as the kiss deepens. He turns his head to the side for air, and Yifan kisses down his neck, his sternum before tugging a nipple into his mouth, rolling it between his teeth. Junmyeon gasps, “Fuck, fuck Fan, I—god! Whe-where is the lube?”

“Ugh, bathroom, wait.” Yifan bounds from the bed in record speed and returns quickly as well. He throws the bottle on the bed and returns to kissing and marking Junmyeon’s pale chest. Junmyeon moans, “Fan, please.”

Yifan understands so he grabs the lube and slicks his fingers with it. But before he can start prepping Junmyeon up, he looks at Junmyeon and softly asks, “Are you sure, like, is this okay? Is it going too fast?”

Junmyeon laughs, slightly breathless, “No, no, it isn’t fast enough Fan. I need you. I have needed you for so long.” He cups Yifan’s face and whispers, “Please don’t make me wait any longer.”

They kiss again and Yifan slowly slips one finger in. Junmyeon groans a little in pain. It has been _a while_ truly. But Yifan knows how to distract him from the pain, so he rubs his thumb over Junmyeon’s lip and Junmyeon grabs his hand, wrapping his mouth around Yifan’s finger and starts sucking. Junmyeon wouldn’t admit but Yifan is very much aware that he has a slight oral fixation. Junmyeon laps at his finger as Yifan pushes in the next finger. He thrusts them in and out, slowly, dragging along Junmyeon’s twitching rim.

Yifan slips another finger inside Junmyeon’s mouth and Junmyeon moans as he adds the third finger inside him. Junmyeon can feel his whole body burning and shaking at how _good_ it feels. Nothing, no amount of technology, could compare to this. He squeezes his eyes shut and arches off the bed when Yifan finds his prostate. He gently jabs each time his fingers enter Junmyeon and Junmyeon swears he sees fireworks behind his eyelids.

Yifan attaches his mouth to the inside of his thigh and sucks a mark hard enough to last a couple of days. He always liked Junmyeon’s thighs. They are thick, they were thicker before, but Yifan is still obsessed. He pulls his fingers out from Junmyeon’s mouth, a string of saliva connecting them and there is drool dripping down Junmyeon’s chin. But Junmyeon looks so fucked out already. His eyes are hooded, glimmering like he is already so high, and his lips are red like cherries, his cheeks and entire chest blushing the softest pink. Yifan takes a deep, staggering breath. Junmyeon is, always has been, perfection itself.

Yifan keeps thrusting his fingers harder and watches Junmyeon shut his eyes again and moan, his lips parting, so inviting. So, Yifan curves over him and sucks on his lower lip, wanting to see how more bruised it can get. He moves his mouth down his throat as he says, “You are so fucking beautiful, fuck.”

A delicious shudder runs down Junmyeon’s spine and he smiles a little as he whispers, “You are the one makes me feel like I am beautiful.”

Yifan wants to refute that, shaking his head but Junmyeon doesn’t let him answer as he pulls Yifan down for a kiss. Junmyeon breaks it, their lips detaching with a resounding pop as he mutters, “Now, please, please make love to me.”

Yifan removes his fingers, wipes them down on the sheet and taps on Junmyeon’s thigh. Junmyeon gets the signal and wraps his legs around Yifan’s waist. Yifan bends him further and then slowly pushes the tip of his cock inside Junmyeon.

Junmyeon inaudibly gasps as Yifan slowly, and steadily, breaches him. His muscles fight; the sensation foreign but not unwelcome. His body starts to remind itself and when Yifan pushes in completely, Junmyeon finds it so hard to breathe. Yifan fills him up so good, always so _good_. He knows he will ache tomorrow, but right now, this is perfect. This is what he needed, what he wanted, and he has waited for this so fucking long. He gasps, “Move, fuck me.”

Yifan had his face tucked in Junmyeon’s neck, his body trembling at how amazing it felt sunken in Junmyeon’s tight heat. His cock throbs when Junmyeon tells him to move, and he does. He pulls back to the tip and then thrusts back in, harder. Junmyeon moans and his fingernails sink into his shoulders. His eyes are wide, his bangs are sticking to his forehead and his lips are parted as he tries to push air in but he can’t, and Yifan doesn’t let him the respite as he pulls out again and pushes in, his cock scraping along Junmyeon’s walls.

Junmyeon pants, “Fan, faster, fuck, please, please!”

Yifan starts picking up pace and soon Junmyeon is rendered into a moaning mess on the bed. Yifan finds his prostate at each jab, especially when he changes the angle slightly and rolls his hips. Junmyeon can’t think beyond how Yifan fucks into him so perfectly. At a particular hard thrust, Junmyeon screams, “Yes! Oh my god!”

Yifan always liked to make a whole mess of Junmyeon and seeing him like this is like all of his wet dreams coming to life. He puts his hands on Junmyeon’s waist and pulls him up. His cock slips out of Junmyeon at the sudden change, but Junmyeon gasps and quickly grasps what’s about to happen next. Yifan moves till his back is against the headboard, leaning back on the pillows, and Junmyeon quickly scrambles over his lap. He grabs the root of Yifan’s cock and strokes it, flicking his wrist. Yifan grabs Junmyeon’s hips and groans, “Junmyeon, please.”

Junmyeon licks his lips next as he positions himself over Yifan’s cock. Then, he slowly sinks down, moaning as the bulbous tip catches his rim before he completely lowers himself. He throws his head back because this way, Yifan is _definitely_ deeper than before. He does a small roll and they both moan out loud at that. So, that works. Junmyeon starts moving now. He falls on Yifan’s chest and mouths along his neck as he starts riding Yifan in earnest. Yifan guides him along by grabbing the globes of his ass, his body moves up and down, hitting the top of Yifan’s thighs. The sound of skin slapping against skin and the sounds of their ragged breathing and moans fills the room. Yifan moans, “Gosh, you, I love you, fuck.”

Yifan is close, very close and at one last sinful roll of his hips, his abdomen clenches and soon he is coming in long spurts inside Junmyeon. The younger groans when he feels Yifan hot cum fill him up and it pushes him over the edge too, the tension uncoiling and he comes untouched all over their bodies. Junmyeon finds Yifan’s lips again and it is tender now as they come down from their highs.

Junmyeon feels sated, so complete. He breaks the kiss and then, gets off Yifan. His rim instantly twitches at the emptiness, and he bites down on his lip when he feels the cum dripping down his thighs. He flops down beside Yifan and the latter grabs some tissues. They clean themselves as much as they can and then fall on the bed, limbs tangled and hearts in peace as they whisper their love to each other before their eyes droop and they fall asleep.

 

Next morning, Junmyeon is the first to wake. He is pressed close to Yifan, the older man’s arms around his body, holding him close. Junmyeon smiles as he opens his eyes and turns his head to look at Yifan’s sleeping face. He looks so much at peace, so ethereal, and Junmyeon would hate to wake him up, so he carefully removes Yifan’s arms and gets down from the bed. He needed to use the bathroom and desperately.

After he is done, he finds Yifan’s shirt on the floor, so he wears it and smiles at the way the fabric brushes over his skin. And it smells like Yifan, who is still fast asleep. Junmyeon smiles as he thinks he could make breakfast, surprise Yifan. Between them, he was always the better cook but sometimes, Yifan would wake up earlier on weekends and surprise him with those delicious savoury pancakes.

He pulls on a pair of Yifan’s sweatpants and as he is about to head for the door, a movement catches the corner of his eye. The bedroom has glass floor-to-ceiling doors that slide open into the balcony, so Junmyeon clearly sees Baekhyun unlocking the latch of the backyard door and walking up the stone path to the kitchen back door, his hands laden with two grocery paper bags. Junmyeon frowns, feeling a strong grip of possessiveness curling around his gut.

By the time Junmyeon reaches the kitchen, he finds Baekhyun stocking the fridge. Junmyeon relishes the look of astonishment on Baekhyun’s face when he gets to his feet and shuts the fridge door. Junmyeon crosses his arms and asks, “What are you doing here?”

Baekhyun gapes for a moment. But then his eyes land on the clothes Junmyeon is wearing. They do not belong to Junmyeon. And then, he spots the blooming burgundy marks on Junmyeon’s neck and down his chest. Baekhyun puts two and two together and fists his hands by the side, fighting his tears when he understands. He grits out, “I guess you _are_ back, huh.”

Junmyeon’s jaw twitches, “Yes, I am back.” He eyes the paper bags on the counter and says, “From now on, I would like you to not help _my_ husband with his groceries anymore.”

Baekhyun stutters, “That, that is not your decision to—”

Junmyeon steps closer and his gaze is steely as he says, “Yes, it is. I know he sucks at buying stuff. He either buys too much or not enough. So, now, that _I_ am back, I will happily take over caring for my husband.”

Baekhyun feels the indignation burning in his chest, but he realises this is it. He nods and steps back, but Junmyeon halts him by raising his palm and then turning it up and raising his eyebrow. Baekhyun barks, “What?”

“The keys Baekhyun, your services are not required anymore.”

Baekhyun’s eyes burn, but he swallows it down. He fishes the keys out of his pocket and hands it over to Junmyeon. Then, he turns around and leaves. His eyes are filling up with tears as he realises the finality of it. The hope he held on to for so long is crushed, all of it. He looks over his back as he opens the latch to the door and he slaps a hand over his mouth when he sees Yifan entering the kitchen and pulling Junmyeon close by his waist. They kiss and Baekhyun’s tears start flowing. He rushes out of the garden, the house and runs down the street towards his truck.

As soon as he makes it inside his truck, he slumps over the steering wheel and cries. He doesn’t know how long he stays there weeping, but he can’t feel anything over the numbness in his heartbreak. Nothing at all.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Junmyeon watches Baekhyun leave and he feels like the shadow of the man will never come over this house again. Perhaps, in another life, he would have been friends with Baekhyun. The sounds of footsteps make him turn around and he finds Yifan walking up to him.  Baekhyun slips away from his mind as Yifan puts his hands on his waist and pulls him closer to kiss him good morning.

 “I love you,” Yifan says between kisses, “I woke up thinking maybe last night was some dream.”

Junmyeon snakes his arms around Yifan’s neck and smiles, “Well, then that was a _really good_ dream.”

Yifan blushes at that and Junmyeon finds that extremely adorable, so he rises on his tiptoes and kisses Yifan’s nose. Then his cheeks, and finally the corner of his lips. Yifan nudges his nose against Junmyeon’s cheek and slowly pushes him back on the counter. Junmyeon leans against the counter and Yifan hoists him up. He doesn’t wait to wrap his legs around Yifan’s waist and tug him closer.

Yifan kisses down Junmyeon’s neck, over his collarbones, nipping at the marks he had already made. Junmyeon throws his head back, allowing Yifan to kiss up under his jaw and then his ears again. “Mmm, Fan…”

Yifan unbuttons Junmyeon’s shirt (his shirt) and kisses down his sternum and presses his tongue flat against a nipple. Junmyeon gasps in surprise, “Yifan! We should have a productive Sunday, don’t you think?”

“I consider making up for five years a very productive Sunday Myeon,” Yifan chuckles against his chest.

Junmyeon laughs, tangling his fingers into Yifan’s hair. He tugs at it, to bring Yifan up, to kiss him. Yifan stands to his full height and his hands roam down Junmyeon’s back and then grab a handful of his ass. The kiss sends desire, white-hot and intense, rushing in his bloodstream and he is aroused all over again. He takes one hand of Yifan’s off his ass and puts it over his crotch, grinding against it. Yifan bites down on Junmyeon’s lip before releasing him. He looks down at Junmyeon, his gaze heated as he instructs, his voice unusually low and deep, “Get down the counter, turn around and spread your legs.”

Junmyeon feels the electric thrill in his body. He recognises those eyes and that voice. It is a command and Junmyeon obeys without question. Yifan kisses down the side of Junmyeon’s neck, his hands cupping over Junmyeon’s ass again. Yifan is terribly obsessed, Junmyeon is certain. Then, Yifan is slipping his hands down the front of Junmyeon’s sweatpants, his hand curling around his cock. Junmyeon groans but then almost loses his balance when Yifan cups the head, twisting his wrist and strokes back up to the root.

Junmyeon’s head bows as he pants, his hands curling over the smooth quartz countertop. He feels Yifan’s lips on his nape, his teeth scraping along the skin there. But then, the lips are gone and Yifan is slowly pulling his hand out from his pants.

Junmyeon, his mind still in a daze, mumbles, “Wha-what?”

Yifan has his phone in his hand, frowning down at it, as he replies, “Check your phone. There is an alert from the station, they found another victim and he is alive. And Yoonoh encountered the suspect.”

 

Yoonoh knew the search was called off due to the sixth body they found, but on his trip to the limestone woods, he and Jihyo did come across something that they didn’t get time to investigate. So, early on this Sunday morning, he leaves his home, dressed in his plain clothes to go look again. He didn’t call Jihyo up or inform anyone at the station, thinking he would call them if he comes across anything. No need in bothering anyone if he didn’t find anything.

He parks his car at the base of a small hillock and starts walking up it. He thinks there was a school building on top of the lush hillock once upon a time, but it was razed to the ground and then, whatever remained was left to rot. In the early hours of the morning, Yoonoh thinks it still looks creepy as hell. There are a bunch of old buildings like this one all over the town. They were built mostly during the time Korea was still under Japanese rule, and some were made when the Americans were here. There are few that remain standing; most of them have been destroyed to make way for new things or been left to ruins like this one.

Yoonoh is certain that in its prime, this building would have been great. But now it is sort of sad. The roof is gone obviously and all that remains are some walls, a pillar with its metal skeleton peeking out and a stair that goes nowhere. Yoonoh walks around the whole perimeter before he notices something. A small door holds on to its last life to a wall with exposed bricks. The roof is somewhat still standing over this area. He gets immediately suspicious.

He gets closer and he gasps when he realises the lock on the door is new. He uses the baton he carries to break it open and he steps in. The smell of bleach hits him first, but he turns on his flash light only for the light to shine down on a male body laid out on a mattress, his feet shackled and chained to the wall. Yoonoh carefully closes on him and the closer he gets, the more surprised he becomes. The man’s chest is still moving, feebly though, but moving nonetheless.

Yoonoh calls for an ambulance first and then calls the operator. He is about to elaborate when he hears shuffling behind him. He turns around and finds a short man dressed in all black running away from the place and towards the deeper woods. Yoonoh immediately takes off after him. The suspect remains in his sight as he steps inside the woods. However, the trees are dense and visibility reduces. The sky is already dull and grey, so Yoonoh curses slightly. He is not from around here; the terrain is not known to him that well at all. So, he can’t tell where he is or where that man is heading.

He relies on his sense of hearing as he chases the man. But then, he trips on an exposed root and goes tumbling down a slight slope. He groans in pain when he tries to get back on his feet. He twisted his ankle and he kicks the ground with his better feet. He let the suspect go. He dials the operator again and tells the situation to her. She says, “Stay where you are constable. And hold on.”

Yoonoh nods as he crawls his way out of the slope. He drags himself back to the ruins. The pain is increasing in intensity but he needs to go back, needs to confirm that the man is indeed alive. He needs to know that maybe this time, they save someone because he couldn’t catch the killer. His conscience is troubled.


	17. Monday Blues

It is a Sunday, when most officers and forensics take a break, but the news of the recent victim being found alive spreads like wildfire through the station, and within hours, throughout the town. Reporters are already swarming the hospital and the station as well. Junmyeon peeks through his blinds and groans when he sees the men and women shivering outside, waiting for even a smidgen of information,, “Are they ever going to leave?”

Jongdae says, “I am starting to think they might not.”

Junmyeon returns to his desk and looks at the email from the hospital again. They have been able to identify the poison in the victim, Lee Kanghyuk’s blood and they have promptly started treatment. He was poisoned with Jerusalem cherry, a plant found almost everywhere, more lethal to dogs and children. The doctors say he may pull through the night and perhaps awake tomorrow. This was some very good news indeed.

Jongdae doubles over his desk and whines, “My date for tonight is cancelled though.”

Junmyeon feels a tinge of sympathy for his friend. “Hey, you know, you will find a way.”

Jongdae presses his forehead against the desk’s surface and cries, “I even made reservations!” He raises his head next and sneers, “You though, I can see the love bite even if you tried to wear that ridiculous turtleneck to hide it. Fun night?” He even wiggles his eyebrows.

Junmyeon feels his whole face heating up as he tries hard to fight the smile. Jongdae sees it anyway and cackles. There is a knock on the door and Junmyeon says, “It’s open.”

Yoonoh steps in and shuts the door behind him, sagging against it. “The reporters almost got me!”

Junmyeon leans back in his chair and smirks, “Well, you are the hero of the moment.”

Yoonoh groans, “Did not ask for it.”

Jongdae grins, “The promotion is on your way boy!”

Yoonoh rolls his eyes and plops down on the seat in front of Jongdae’s desk. “I wouldn’t deserve it. I still failed to catch him.”

Junmyeon and Jongdae share a glance. They have many years on Yoonoh, and they have had criminals slip through their fingers and they both remember how that first time felt like. So, Jongdae leans forward on his desk and ruffles Yoonoh’s hair, “Listen, you have nothing to feel sorry about it.”

Junmyeon adds, “It is not your fault. And you hurt yourself. I know duty comes first but you went out of your way on your off day and saved someone’s life.”

Jongdae nods, “Yes! If you didn’t decide to take that long morning walk today, then we wouldn’t have found Kanghyuk at all! You saved his life!”

Yoonoh knows his seniors are trying to bring his spirits up and he appreciates it. The door opens again and Chaeyoung pops her head in, grinning, “Guess what Yoonoh? They thought I was your sister or something! Questions like is if the hero of the moment is your oppa! You two look very alike! A complete circus out there my dudes!”

Jongdae and Junmyeon erupt into chuckles as Yoonoh grunts.

 

Lee Kanghyuk does wake up the next morning, terrified and weak. But he is of not much help. Junmyeon and Jongdae spend hours but the poor boy cannot really say much. The killer kept his face hidden. But they do receive some hints. Kanghyuk wasn’t alone when he was kidnapped. He confirmed the presence of Gowon and Eunwoo with him. He watched them die. He also let know that he is not from around here and he came here when he got a call about a possible job offer. He says he was told to wait at this empty bus stop but then someone hit him from the behind and he lost consciousness. When he came to, he found himself chained to the wall in the old building with the other two, who told him a very similar tale. He was exhausted enough after his ordeal, so Junmyeon and Jongdae left him, wishing him fast recovery. Round the clock guards are posted at the hospital to make sure the killer doesn’t return to finish what he started.

The two policemen are standing outside the hospital, faces turned to the sun. The sun is weak today but at least it is shining. The last two days were amazingly dull. Junmyeon mutters, “So, what do we have detective sergeant?”

“We know now how he is luring them in. We can use that, tell the media to spread it,” Jongdae says.

Junmyeon nods, “They have to be of use to us now.”

Jongdae’s mood drops as he says, “But, damn, if only we had a face!”

Junmyeon shrugs, “We don’t get everything I suppose. But this is enough, we have something. We can warn people with what we have and that has to be our first step.”

Within three hours, every news outlet in the whole southern region posts the press release on their websites and apps. The television runs the release as well and every employment agency is put under the microscope. It becomes a nationwide interest and soon every media outlet is running the story of the victim found alive and the warning to every youth looking for jobs to not take any calls that tell them to come to Hangu-nam.

Hyejin and Jackson manage to video call Junmyeon during lunch. He is outside in the cafeteria with Yifan sharing one large cup of coffee between them (Yifan buys it for himself but then Junmyeon pouts at him) when the call comes. He bites his lip as he says, “Fan? My friends from Seoul want to meet you.”

Yifan smiles, nodding, “Okay.”

Junmyeon accepts the call and as soon as Jackson and Hyejin see Yifan in the frame, they scream, “That’s him! The husband!”

Junmyeon groans and wishes to plant his face on the table while Yifan laughs, “Hello, nice to meet you all. I have heard about you two.”

“We haven’t heard of you ever,” Jackson pouts.

“What a pity,” Hyejin deadpans and glares at Junmyeon.

Junmyeon mumbles, “Sorry, okay?”

Yifan wraps an arm around Junmyeon and smiles, “It is not his fault. We were going through some things. And we are better now.”

Hyejin grins, “Better? As in back together?” Junmyeon nods, a shy smile on his face. Hyejin shouts, “This is awesome new! Listen, I have some off days in April and I am coming down there, I swear!” Then she hits Jackson, “And you will be coming with me!”

Junmyeon laughs, “You are welcome here anytime.”

Yifan grins too, “Yes. I would love to get to know all of you as well.”

Jackson says, “Anyway hyung, is the DS down there any better than me?”

Junmyeon pretends to think and then bursts out laughing, “You are both loud but I think he’s better!”

Jackson whines, “You don’t love me at all hyung!”

They talk for some time, catch up before Jackson whines that his lunch break is almost over. So is Yifan and Junmyeon’s, forcing them to end the call. Junmyeon suddenly misses Hyejin and Jackson terribly. Hyejin befriended him, and bulldozed her way into his life the day he moved in the apartment in Seoul. He was annoyed at first but he started appreciating her kindness towards an outsider like him and they became friends. Jackson too wiggled his way in Junmyeon’s life and he is grateful for that too. If both of them didn’t think of adopting him, he would have been lost and lonely in Seoul.

Yifan hums as Junmyeon puts his phone back in his pocket, “They seem to love you.”

Junmyeon smiles, but there is a hint of melancholy in it, “Yes, but they don’t know about my life. The ghosts or my life here. I didn’t even talk to them about you…”

Yifan pulls Junmyeon’s chin up and lightly presses his lips against his. He leans back and says, “We are getting this chance of a do-over. And they can too, with you. You can choose what to say or not. Either way, you know I am with you.”

“I love you,” Junmyeon smiles, raising his hand up to cup Yifan’s cheek. The late sunlight glints off the silver on his ring finger and Junmyeon glances at it for a while, entranced by it. He puts his left hand over Yifan’s chest and smiles, “Do you remember the day we went for ring shopping?”

Yifan laughs, putting his left hand over Junmyeon’s, “You had a last minute call about a floater and I couldn’t make it out of the ER. The shop almost closed!”

Junmyeon laughs along, “If your mother and the owner weren’t friends, we would have been marrying wearing rings made out of tin cans the next day!”

They share a kiss again and just soak up in the presence of each other right here, right now. It had snowed lightly last night and the weather is cold but not unpleasant. The sun is out and Junmyeon thinks he has never felt this happier in years. Yifan feels the same.

 

Chaeyoung gets a text from Jennie to check her emails. Chaeyoung opens her emails and she reads through the information Jennie sent her way. She frowns; the university? Why the university? She is eating her lunch on her desk when someone comes blocks the light. She looks up to find Sehun waving at her. She waves back, swallowing her sandwich, “Oh, hey Sehun.”

Sehun smiles, “Do you have the hospital results for the recent one?”

Chaeyoung says as she looks down at her monitor, “I am sending them to you…now.”

Sehun nods and then groans, “I am so tired.”

Chaeyoung snorts, “Aren’t we all? It has been a month and seven days since this madness started. When we catch the killer, I am taking a break, going back home and sleeping till noon. Then waking, eating every packet of honey chips I find and vegetating in front of a TV watching stupid romance dramas.”

Sehun leans on the desk, grinning, “Sleeping till noon sounds so nice…”

Chaeyoung smiles too, “It does, doesn’t it? A goddamn luxury in this economy!” She hops to her feet, “Anyway, I am off!”

Sehun straightens up, “Where to?”

“Oh, just checking up on a lead.”

“Oh, can I come?” When Chaeyoung sends him a look, Sehun scrunches his face up and whines, “Please? I won’t interfere! If I have to stare at a monitor for another hour, I will combust or punch Youngho’s face.”

Chaeyoung laughs, “Please go for Youngho’s face!”

She lets him tag along and they drive towards the South River University. Sehun asks as Chaeyoung hums some song under her breath, “So, why are we going here?”

“Jennie, you know my friend Jennie, right? Cute but with a resting bitch face?” Sehun nods. “So, she is in cybercrimes and I asked her to find who was making online purchases under someone else’s name. She said some super complicated stuff about IP addresses and stuff, but what she concluded was that the purchases were being made from a computer in the university’s public library,”

Sehun nods, “So, the killer has to be here?”

“Could be, could be not,” Chaeyoung shrugs. “But remember, it _is_ a public library. Anyone with or without a library card can come here. Everybody has access from students of this university to random civilians. When I was writing my thesis, I used to come here too and this is not my university.”

Sehun nods, “It is a very well stocked library.”

“You have been here? But they don’t have a forensics department, do they?”

Sehun suddenly feels warm under his collar as he slowly says, “I, uh, my boyfriend works in the geophysics department as a TA. He is doing his PhD studies here.”

Chaeyoung is surprised but then mostly upset that she will have to be the bearer of bad news for Jennie. “You never said so. And all those times we all went for dinner!”

Sehun grins, all shy, “I am not very comfortable when talking about myself, you know that.”

“Okay, okay, so tell me about him a little?”

Sehun sits back as he reminisces, “Well, uh, okay. His name is Zitao, he is a year older than me and he is very smart. We met three years ago in a medical conference in Busan. He tagged along with his friend and just wanted to hit the beaches. But he started hitting on me instead, and well, I was charmed by his stupid smile I guess.”

Chaeyoung coos, “Aww! That is sweet.” Then she pouts, “When will my prince charming come?”

Sehun smirks, “Well, there is this constable you spend a lot of time with…”

Chaeyoung feels her cheeks heating up. “No, not Yoonoh. I mean, he is a good friend, great guy, really. But, no, I mean, hmm.”

Sehun keep smirking, “I didn’t even take a name.”

Chaeyoung bites down on her lip and groans, feeling incredibly stupid at falling into the trap. She glares at Sehun, who guffaws. Chaeyoung refuses to talk after that but they are at the gates of the university anyway. She flashes her badge and she follows the signs telling her where to go. The public library is a stand-alone building, closer to the river.

Sehun and Chaeyoung take a moment to look at the splendid building. It is of three floors and it is of simple, sleek style with large glass walls looking into the river and letting plenty of natural light in. They shake off their admiration and then head inside. Sehun pushes his hands in his pockets and asks, “So, how will you do this?”

Chaeyoung hums, hands on hips, “Let me think…”

As Sehun and Chaeyoung idle by the front desk, they don’t notice the cold, shrewd eyes watching them from behind a book shelf.

 

Baekhyun has been in a low mood since yesterday. Chanyeol is obviously keeping his distance, even though he has an inkling of what might be bothering him. The talk in town is all about the fact that Junmyeon and Yifan are back together. They have been seen with their wedding fingers on their hands and people have seen Junmyeon moving back into the house. Baekhyun came back home on Sunday morning with tears drying on his face and Chanyeol by now has concluded that Junmyeon has probably put his foot down and told Baekhyun to stay away.

Chanyeol knows Baekhyun and Junmyeon do not like each other. And he knows they won’t be friends any time soon. But the thing about being quiet and looking at people is that he comes to see and understand many, many things. Thus, he knows, and seen the way Baekhyun’s gaze only holds vitriol when looking at Junmyeon; and Junmyeon’s usually kind eyes are glacial when he looks at Baekhyun.

The wedding that took place five years and half years ago was like watching a drama unfold. Chanyeol doesn’t know if anyone else noticed, but he did. He saw Baekhyun trying to fight back tears, and he remembers Junmyeon’s deathly glare whenever he caught Baekhyun staring at Yifan. Chanyeol also recalls how much he wished Baekhyun looked at him like he looked at Yifan.

That is the past though. He lets it go, shaking his head as he unfurls his long legs. He was seated on the couch, sectioning of all the cash he will have to pay to the delivery boys and such. He picks up the stacks and heads to the locker. He puts all the money in envelopes, writing the names and amounts before storing them inside the locker. He will pay them as they come visit him over this week.

Baekhyun enters the office, slightly shivering and with his nose cold. Chanyeol looks at his red nose and chattering teeth. “Baekhyun? You okay?”

“It started snowing again,” Baekhyun complains, huddling over the electric heater. “I mean, didn’t they say it may not snow after Christmas? What a fucking lie.”

Chanyeol laughs as he goes and picks up the heavy blanket on the couch. He covers Baekhyun with it and pats his shoulders. “I will make you some tea?”

Baekhyun turns his head back, smiling up at Chanyeol, shaking his head, “No, I need to bring those boxes in. I got some Christmas cookies from this seller by the Ulsan freeway mart. I thought we could put them up?”

“Of course, we can,” Chanyeol grins. “You stay here, warm up. I will get them.”

Baekhyun nods and watches Chanyeol leave the office. He pulls the blanket closer around him and tries to ignore how Chanyeol’s hands felt on his shoulders. Chanyeol is so, so warm all the time; his hands especially. Baekhyun doesn’t understand why is so affected by it though.

Chanyeol looks outside and he gasps when he sees the snow slowly piling. Baekhyun wasn’t kidding. They might be twelve feet in snow by the time Christmas comes then. Chanyeol then realises he will probably have to hire labour to keep the sidewalks clean and the roof too. He sighs and his breath clouds around his head. He grabs his thicker jacket and steps outside.

The air slaps him harshly on his face and he almost returns inside. He finds Baekhyun’s truck and finds the boxes piled on the back. There are three big cardboard boxes in total and Chanyeol starts moving them in. He is at the last box when he hears the snow crunch behind him. He turns around and gasps when he sees a young boy, perhaps no older than fifteen or sixteen scowling at him. Chanyeol notes the kid is only dressed in a shirt and high-waist jeans. His feet are bare and his skin has an ash grey tone in it. He slowly says, “Hey, kid, you will get cold. Come inside, eh?”

The boy hisses as his shoulders heave. Chanyeol looks down and realises the kid is holding a wrench in his hand. Chanyeol squints, “Kid, you okay?” The boy hisses again and steps forward. Chanyeol sees something red is matted on the side of his head, and he thinks it is blood. He tries again, “Kid, you hurt?”

The boy again says nothing and simply grunts. Suddenly, he growls and rushes forward, swinging the wrench at Chanyeol. Chanyeol shouts and drops the box as he moves. The wrench comes down on the truck and the clang of metal against metal rings in the air. Chanyeol shouts, “Hey!”

The boy doesn’t listen, he swings his wrench again and Chanyeol raises his hand to protect his face. The wrench comes down on his arm and the pain shocks him, but since he had stepped aside at the right moment, he probably saved his bone from shattering to pieces. He drops his arm, cradling it against his chest. He backs away, still trying, “Kid, what the hell are you doing? Who are you? What do you want?”

But the boy isn’t interested to listen to Chanyeol. He charges at Chanyeol again and the latter stumbles back, hitting the wall and he is much too late in raising his hand as the wrench comes down on the side of his head. He hears a resounding crunch and then feels warm blood trickling down his temple. His vision blurs as he slides down the wall. The boy raises his arm again but then, he disappears. His body literally ribbons into shadow and disappears into the air. Chanyeol mumbles, “What?” But then, his eyes shut, he hears someone call his name loudly and he just gives into the comforting darkness.


	18. Tomorrow Never Came

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> remember the Character Death tag? yeah, so

Baekhyun is shaking like a leaf as the doctor and nurses wheel Chanyeol away from him. He is watching them fuss around his husband with wide, frightened eyes. The police officer, Jongdae, tries to take his statement but all Baekhyun manages to say is, “He will be okay, right? He’s all I have...”

Jongdae’s face morphs into pity as he nods, “Uh, yes, mister Park, he will be fine.”

“Byun, I didn’t take his name,” Baekhyun murmurs.

Jongdae slowly guides him to a seat and as they sit down, he tries again, “Can you tell me what happened?”

Baekhyun looks down at his hands, at his clothes. There is Chanyeol’s blood on them. He turns to look at Jongdae and whispers, “You will think I am crazy officer…”

Jongdae shakes his head. “I would not sir, now please, tell me.”

Thus, Baekhyun says how he heard Chanyeol shouting outside, so he peeked out to see what the issue was. Then, he saw this teenager hit Chanyeol over his head. Baekhyun grabbed the closest thing he could find, which was a tire changer and then he hit the boy with it, but the boy disappeared into thin air when he did so. He laughs, shaking violently as he does, “You think I am insane, don’t you?”

Jongdae’s face is grim as he shakes his head, “No, sir. If you were the only one, then maybe this would be crazy, but you aren’t.”

Baekhyun widens his eyes as he asks, “What do you mean officer?”

“People have been attacked by ghosts in the last few days in this town mister Byun,” Jongdae informs. “We had kept this from the public to stop widespread panic, but looks like we may need to do something about it now.”

Baekhyun is astonished at what he hears. He mutters, “The, the thing was a ghost, then?” When Jongdae nods, Baekhyun looks away from the officer and at the blood on his clothes again, “Why would they hurt my husband?”

“I don’t know mister Byun, I am very sorry.”

Jongdae then buys him hot barley tea and leaves him alone, saying he will be back when Chanyeol awakens or if Baekhyun needs anything. Baekhyun hardly acknowledges him leave, his eyes trained to the floor. His hands are slowly turning warmer due to the tea but his whole body is still cold. Chanyeol, oh god…

Baekhyun knows he will never forget the scene of Chanyeol’s tall, strong body dropping like paper to the ground and his blood dripping down onto the white snow. Baekhyun thinks he has never cried harder than he did when Chanyeol lost consciousness in his arms and wouldn’t open his eyes no matter how hard he screamed. However, his screaming attracted one of the part-timer’s to rush to the back and she was the one to call the ambulance. If it was on Baekhyun, he would have kept crying, cradling Chanyeol in his arms. He has never felt fear like that before.

The journey to the hospital was terrible. The paramedics were fussing and Baekhyun kept holding Chanyeol’s hand tightly, his heart breaking at how cold Chanyeol’s fingers were. He was never cold, Chanyeol is never cold.

The sound of footsteps makes him look up and he finds the part-timer, Jihyo, looking down at him, a brown paper bag in her hands, “I got you clothes boss.”

Baekhyun looks down at the blood on his clothes again and nods. Jihyo puts down the bag beside him and asks, “Boss, if you need anything, call me, okay?” Baekhyun nods, still so very numb. Jihyo pats his shoulder, “He will be alright boss. He is the strongest man we all know.”

Baekhyun chokes; the cup of tea slips through his hands and he curls up on the plastic chair as he cries. He feels Jihyo putting her arms around him and trying to soothe him with comforting words but Baekhyun can’t stop. The very thought of losing Chanyeol suddenly made him realise how much he can’t afford that. Chanyeol is all he has left in this world.

Hours later, perhaps it is already tomorrow, Baekhyun is sitting by Chanyeol’s bedside in the general ward. The injury was luckily not that fatal. The damage to his skull is a minor fracture and he should have no lasting effects, but the doctor advises Baekhyun to keep a close look at his husband after discharge anyway.

Baekhyun is out of his soiled clothes and swimming in Chanyeol’s. Jihyo must have mistakenly grabbed Chanyeol’s spare clothes that he keeps in his office after one incident with exploding packs of tomato puree. Baekhyun pulls his feet up on the chair and tucks his chin on his knees. He pushes his nose under the neck of the thick sweater and smiles. It smells like Chanyeol, and their detergent.

Chanyeol always smells like the sea for some strange reason. Baekhyun had noticed this for a long time. Baekhyun has noticed many more things over the last few years. The moles on his nose, his cheek and his ear. He also has another one under his collarbone. Then, his dimples, which can sway anyone into anything. His smile is too big but it is still charming and when he aims it at little old ladies and kids, they can’t help but giggle back. He had heard one of the old women say how his husband smiles like the sun, and Baekhyun understands now what they means. Chanyeol was unwaveringly kind and never judged anyone. He loved animated movies more than anything. He loved music, god, he probably breathed and lived for it. He hates spicy food. He hates it when it rains too much. He hates how much his ears pop out. He learnt cooking from his father. He loves cooking, trying out new ingredients.

Baekhyun smiles when he realises how much he takes notice of Chanyeol, doesn’t he? Baekhyun thinks how Chanyeol is always there, always ready to do anything for him, and he weeps. And what he has done for Chanyeol? He has pushed and pushed him away; ignored him for another man who would never look at him the way Chanyeol does.

This Chanyeol now, lying prostrate on the bed with one side of his face swathed in bandages doesn’t look like anything Baekhyun knows. He wants Chanyeol to wake up and smile at him and tell him it is all okay.

Baekhyun feels his eyes watering up again and he bites down on his lip as he tries to not cry again but it is of no avail as the tears slip down his face anyway. He promises to himself—when Chanyeol wakes up, he will be a better husband. This is punishment for all the years he neglected Chanyeol and his love. He knows Chanyeol loves him and for years, it has made him feel guilty, but tonight the guilt rips his heart to shreds and he feels like he probably won’t stop crying. He hates, hates himself for doing this to Chanyeol. How can he look for something else when he always had the best thing right there for him?

His sniffing might be the reason why but Chanyeol stirs awake and says, “Baek-Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun gasps; he looks down at Chanyeol to find him squinting at him. The bed was already raised at an angle, so Baekhyun doesn’t find it too hard to crash on to Chanyeol, wrapping his arms around his husband and crying into his shoulder. Baekhyun tucks his face into the uninjured side of Chanyeol’s body and tries to stop tearing up, but he can’t. Relief, happiness and gratefulness is all he feels and he thanks all the gods out there for giving him Chanyeol back, for giving him this one last chance.

Chanyeol is surprised at the sudden hug, so he pats Baekhyun’s back with the hand not connected to the IV and whispers, “Hey, I am fine. You okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

Baekhyun groans a little as he pushes himself back and scowls, “Really? You are the one on a hospital bed! I should be asking you if you are okay!” Then his face softens and he cups Chanyeol’s face, “You okay?”

Chanyeol is still very much surprised by this behaviour. He simply nods and Baekhyun returns to hold him. Chanyeol’s head is whirring and not with the pain—that is being taken care by the morphine. He asks, “Hey, Baekhyun, are you sure you okay?”

Baekhyun leans back again and his eyes are brimming with tears as he says, “How, how can you still be bothered with me?” Chanyeol opens his mouth to answer but then he realises by the look in Baekhyun’s eyes that he is just not asking about his condition now, so he shuts up. Baekhyun swallows and continues, “There was so much blood Chanyeol, I thought I would lose you and it reminded me of the horrible person that I am.”

Chanyeol shakes his head, his hand resting on Baekhyun’s waist, squeezing, “You are not horrible. You are still nice to me. You help me with my business. You let me hold your hands when we are watching scary movies because I am a big baby. You are not a horrible person.”

Baekhyun sobs, “No, no. You know I am horrible. I married you because it was the right thing to do and then I pushed and pushed you away and you never left. You wasted six years of your life with me, why? Why would you do that? Why don’t you just hate me Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol smiles; he cups the side of Baekhyun’s face and says, “I don’t know how to hate you. I can’t do that. I love you.” Baekhyun’s breath hitches and his lips tremble. “I have always loved you, and I will keep loving you.” Chanyeol looks away as his smile drops, “Even if you are still in love with someone else.”

Fresh tears pool in Baekhyun’s eyes and his heart swells with an unnamed emotion. He scoots closer to Chanyeol and presses his head on Chanyeol’s sternum as he whispers, “I want to love you Chanyeol. I am so tired of being an idiot, for running after things I cannot have. In my foolishness, I kept ignoring the one good thing I have always had: you. I want to fall in love with you.”

Chanyeol’s breath staggers as he inhales deeply. He puts his hand on the back of Baekhyun’s neck and presses his cheek on top of Baekhyun’s head. “Well, I am not going anywhere, so take your time.”

Baekhyun chuckles; he looks up and finds Chanyeol’s eyes are wet too and but his smile is back in place. His dimples make an appearance and Baekhyun feels something warm fill him up from his toes to his hair and he grins back. He presses a kiss to the underside of Chanyeol’s jaw and then wiggles into the space beside. Chanyeol shifts a little to make space and soon, Baekhyun has his head on Chanyeol’s chest, basking in how warm Chanyeol is again. He closes his eyes and lets Chanyeol’s fingers carding his hair to lull him to sleep. He falls asleep with a smile on his face.

 

It is eight in the night, hours later after Chanyeol’s attack, and Zitao drives into the police station parking. Sehun hasn’t come home, and he is not picking his phone up either, so he is worried. He hasn’t been inside before, but he can ask around. And a quick enquiry at the front desk later, he learns his boyfriend’s office is at the basement.

He heads down and finds it empty beside a young woman falling asleep at her desk. He disturbs her, “Um, excuse me?”

The woman jerks awake and blinks up at him, “Yes, who you be?”

“I am Zitao, I am, um, Sehun’s boyfriend.”

The woman blinks herself awake as she gazes at him, slightly taken aback. She whispers, “Ah, now I know why he is always smiling down at his phone.” She then smiles up at him, “Yeah, how can I help? I am Seulgi by the way.”

Zitao smiles back, “Ah, I have heard of you. You are the girl with the teddy bear stickers all over her laptop.” Seulgi blushes a little but grins, and Zitao thinks Sehun was right: she is adorable. He, however, gets to what he came here for, “Um, Seulgi-sshi, can you tell me where Sehun is?”

Seulgi frowns, “He didn’t go home? I think he left somewhere after lunch?” She glances at someone behind Zitao and she shouts, “Yah! Jungkook! Did Sehun come back from wherever he went?”

Jungkook joins them, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head. “No, Seulgi, I didn’t see him. I talked him at lunch last, I think? He was writing the file on Kanghyuk, I think.”

Seulgi jerks her head at Zitao, “This is his boyfriend. He says he didn’t come back home.”

Jungkook widens his eyes, “What?”

He shares a worried glance with Seulgi, and they try to be surreptitious, but Zitao sees it. He frowns, “What? What is it?”

Jungkook tries to wave it off, chuckling, “No, no Zitao-sshi, don’t mind us. Cops and forensic techs are all the same. We always jump to the most morbid conclusion. I am sure he is okay. Have you tried calling family and friends?” When Zitao nods, Jungkook’s smile dims, “Okay, then, uh—”

Seulgi snaps her fingers, “Jungkook! Maybe Hoseok can help?”

Jungkook nods, “Right! Mister Zitao, wait here!”

Jungkook leaves them, running down the corridor. Seulgi explains, “Hoseok works in tox, but his hobbies include dancing and hacking. So, he may be able to trace Sehun’s phone or something.” Then, she cocks her head to the side and hums, “I guess it is an extreme thing to do, but it may help.” She widens her eyes next when she realises, “Oh my god, sit down, please!”

Zitao takes a seat and Seulgi offers him some snacks. He chooses the almonds and he is about to pop some into his mouth when Jungkook returns with this guy with beach blond highlights in his hair and large red-framed spectacles. He has his laptop in his hand and he puts it down on the cubicle beside Zitao and grins, “Hi, I am Hoseok, or Hobi. Kookie said you need my help?”

Seulgi explains, “Remember how you found my lost phone for me that time? Can you help track Sehun’s phone?”

“Sehun?” Hoseok asks. He cracks his fingers and nods, “Yes, yes, I can. Number please?” Zitao gives him the number. He watches Hoseok put the digits in his computer. Everyone stays quiet, staring at Hoseok, who after some minutes says, “Okay, I found his phone at South River University. It’s on and stationary.”

Zitao gasps, shaking his head, “That isn’t right.”

Seulgi frowns, “Why isn’t it?”

“I am studying and working there. If he came there, I would have known Seulgi-sshi.”

“Maybe you should look again Zitao-sshi?” Jungkook quietly suggests.

Zitao looks down on his lap, his shoulders sagging. Sehun would have come to see him if he was visiting the university, so why didn’t he? Then, he scowls; what was Sehun doing in the university in the first place? He suddenly gets to his feet and bows, “Thank you so much for your time! Sorry to disturb you! I will go back to the university now.”

Seulgi looks on worried as Zitao leaves. Jungkook catches her distressed expression and asks, “What are you thinking?”

Seulgi mutters, “Sehun didn’t tell us where he went, you know. And he doesn’t take random breaks in the middle of the day either. So, where the fuck could he be?”

Hoseok doesn’t look up from his screen as he says, “His phone is off and not moving Seulgi. I think we all know what that means.”

Seulgi smacks the back of Hoseok’s head and grunts, “Listen, I know we are wired to think the fucking worst, but maybe not this time, okay?”

Jungkook has gotten close to the tall, shy new employee over the few weeks, and a lump forms in his throat as he too starts thinking the worst (a drawback to this career). His lips tremble as he says, “You don’t know, we don’t know anything. But why else would his phone be on and he is not moving? We all know what that means.”

Seulgi wants to refute, really wants to tell the boys to shut the fuck up but deep down, she knows they are right. She gets to her feet and says, “I think we need to tell this to doctor Wu and Kim first, ask them how to proceed.” Hoseok and Jungkook agree.

 

Zitao drives back to the university and his heart is racing a mile a minute in worry. Sehun would never disappear on him like that. Sehun would always text when he was coming home or if he was going to be late. He desperately keeps hoping he finds Sehun safe and sound.

He enters the gate and the guard is surprised to see him return. The man says, “Son, the lab shut down. Everyone’s gone home.”

Zitao shakes his head. “No mister Heo, I am not here for that.” He presses his lips, thinking for a moment before asking, “Say, did a young man, tall, dark hair, not from this university come here, like in the afternoon?”

The man chuckles, “A lot of students out of campus come for the books. I can’t remember all of them.”

Zitao unbuckles his seatbelt and grabs his phone. He finds a picture of Sehun and shows it to the man, who squints at it for some time before slowly nodding his head, “I think, I saw him arrive with the lady cop.”

“Lady cop?” Zitao frowns. “When?”

“Around two thirty or three?”

“Where did they go?”

The man points to the left, “I think they went to the library.” Then, he frowns, “She was driving a patrol car. I don’t think I saw it leaving…”

The fear finally settles in Zitao’s guts. The man looks at him and he can see the dread in the young man’s eyes. He leaves the guard post, grabbing a flashlight and he gets inside the car. Zitao drives towards the library and as soon as he turns into the parking lot, the light from his headlights fall on the patrol car. And from his car, he can see it is empty. The guard gets down first and rushes over to the car. He turns on his flashlight, and puts his hand on the door handle, which clicks open. He looks over his shoulder and says, “Mister Huang, the car is unlocked.”

Zitao gets down from the car and walks over to the patrol car, his knees almost trembling. He peers in and he finds Sehun’s messenger bag sitting innocently on the passenger seat. He puts his hands on the car window and feels his tears rolling down his cheeks as he mumbles, “No, no he is alright.”

The guard suddenly says, “Why don’t you call him? Maybe, he left the car for some reason?” The library has closed for the day, so the possibility of Sehun inside is ruled out. However, there is a river flowing by it and deep woods across it. Both men look into the solid wall of darkness in front of them and Zitao swallows, “But why would he leave the car?”

The guard doesn’t offer an answer but Zitao heeds the advice anyway and dials Sehun’s number again. The guard walks towards the river, so does Zitao and then they move in opposite directions. Zitao is walking towards the weir, over which he knows is a bridge and a small dam built by the agriculture majors.

The call ends, and Zitao redials. He is close to the weir when he hears Sehun’s ringtone. Zitao turns around and shouts, “Mister Heo!”

Heo rushes towards Zitao and wheezes, “What?” He can hear the phone ringing and he frowns, “It is coming from the dam, isn’t it?”

They both turn their heads to look at the dam, which is essentially a small reservoir for the half-frozen river water to flow into without disturbing its natural path to the sea. Heo flashes his torch towards it and Zitao gasps when he sees a pair of shoes sticking out from the edge of the dam. The guard squeezes Zitao’s shoulder and mutters, his voice shaking, “Let me call the cops kid.”

But Zitao doesn’t listen. He shakes off the hand on his shoulder and runs. The dam isn’t deep, heck, it isn’t even three feet high, and no one would drown in it. The closer he gets, he recognises the pair of sneakers and the striped yellow and white socks. He slows down when he is close and he doesn’t need to look into the water to know that the sweater on the torso above the surface of the water belongs to Sehun too. Or rather it belongs to him but Sehun loved wearing it more.

He chokes on the sob and falls to his knees. He looks down at the wet soil, the mud seeping into his jeans. He takes a deep breath and then he cries.

 

Yifan, Minseok, Seulgi and Youngho are all stony faced and quiet as the constables pull Sehun’s body out of the reservoir. They gently lay him down on the tarp and Seulgi can’t help the sob as she sees Sehun’s open, empty, lifeless eyes. Junmyeon and Jongdae can’t look at Sehun and they both turn away; Jongdae even leaves the scene, deeply upset and he is aware he needs to distract himself before loses his composure. However, Junmyeon walks up to Yifan and squeezes his elbow. He mutters, “We, we need to work Yifan.”

Yifan nods but he doesn’t hear it, not when his head is hurting, along with his heart as he keeps staring at Sehun’s body. Sehun just bought him his morning coffee today and expressed how much fun he was having working with them even though he was drowning in paperwork. Sehun seemed like he perhaps wanted to return after his studies for a permanent position in their team. It was only this morning when Youngho and Sehun teamed up to prank Jungkook that backfired epically. The body lying in front of them feels unreal. The entire area has been lighted with high powered halogens, so everyone can see the missing middle finger on his right hand. A constable says, “Sir, his, uh finger, is in here. Should we take it out?”

Minseok makes a low growling noise and then slaps on his gloves. He orders, “Yes, and bag it.” Then he points at Youngho, “Take water samples.” Then, at Seulgi, “Start collecting trace. And Yifan?” Minseok scowls at the man, “We have a whole team to supervise and a new case, snap out of it!” Youngho and Seulgi move forward, both understanding the time to mourn has to wait. A common nightmare every member of the CSU share is the thought of their loved ones, friends or families ending up in the black bag and then on the autopsy table. To have that nightmare come to life is jarring. But like they are trained to, they must remain objective and numb, so they all get to work.

Junmyeon squeezes Yifan’s elbow again and Yifan finally breaks out of his thoughts. He sighs, nods his head again and follows Minseok to the tarp. They kneel down on either side of Sehun’s body and Yifan flashes a penlight into Sehun’s eyes. He frowns as he says, “Minseok, we have seen this before. The way his pupils are dilated; he was killed by a drug.”

Minseok immediately rolls the sleeves of Sehun’s sweater up and then gasps when he finds three injection marks inside his right forearm. He says, “Found it.” His gaze follows to the hand and he adds, “Yifan, the finger was cute pre-mortem.”

Yifan looks at it and when he confirms it, he looks back at Minseok. They both communicate what the other is thinking without words and Yifan calls Junmyeon over. He says, “Junmyeon, this may be a revenge killing. A show of anger.”

Junmyeon crouches and nods, “So, like he is trying to get back at us for finding his hideouts?”

Minseok nods, “Yes. He has strayed vastly from his choice methods. He injected the drug instead of feeding the poison, cut the finger before death and put the body somewhere that is easily visible. At least, with the other victims, he tried to be inconspicuous.”

Junmyeon is about ask a question when Jongdae rushes up to him. He shouts, “Junmyeon! The patrol car Sehun came in is Chaeyoung’s!”

Junmyeon gasps as he gets to his feet, his eyes widening and his heart now racing. His own voice sounds weak to him as he says, “Trace her mobile now! And get some men to scour those woods!” He glances down at Sehun’s body and shouts in frustration, “What the fuck were these two doing here? And why the fuck did they tell no one?”


	19. Sandcastles

The nightmare only begins in Hangu-nam. As the next day rolled in, no one is able to locate Chaeyoung’s phone. They have scoured the forests again but they came up empty. By the early evening, the whole town is aware of what has happened and the talk of the death of a CSU team member’s is everywhere, from the grocery stores to the evening fish market.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol are in their apartment, curled up on the bed reading the news. Chanyeol was discharged last night and he is supposed to be lying down and resting but he got bored just staring up at the ceiling. Though Chanyeol was thriving off the attention he was receiving from Baekhyun—from the breakfast in bed to the afternoon nap together in one bed, cuddled under the blanket. If Chanyeol knew getting hit on his head by a wrench wielded by a ghost would bring out this softer, kinder side of Baekhyun, Chanyeol would have happily let all the ghosts in the world to get to him all the time.

The “ghosts” thing was still hard to digest but Baekhyun had showed him the video of the bicycle parts shop owner’s backyard and even with the video evidence, it was still weird. Baekhyun is reading from the article on Sehun’s death when he stops at a name, “Zitao?”

Chanyeol asks, his head resting on Baekhyun’s shoulder, “You know him?”

“I think so? Jongin, you know Lu Han’s husband? I think this Zitao kid is his assistant or something. I may have seen him around the hotel once or twice,” Baekhyun says, his mouth turning into that cute pout Chanyeol really likes, “This says he was the one to discover Sehun’s body, his boyfriend. Oh my god, that is awful. Poor kid.”

Chanyeol feels a little upset too. He asks, “Is it the same serial killer?”

“Yep.”

“Doesn’t this like make it the uh, seventh victim?”

Baekhyun shakes his head, “No, the eighth, I think.” He yawns and stretches his legs under the blanket. He turns his head to look down at Chanyeol and smiles, “Anyway, what would you like for dinner? I got some squid from missus Bang today.”

“Hmm, a stew?” Chanyeol suggests.

Baekhyun cups Chanyeol’s chin and asks, “Are you hungry now?”

Chanyeol chuckles, “If you keep feeding me like this, I will grow fat!”

Baekhyun laughs, “I don’t think you will look that bad if you do get chubby!” He grabs Chanyeol’s  cheeks and squeezes them, “I remember how round you were in middle school.”

Chanyeol loves the way Baekhyun looks like at him, all soft and sweet. He closes his eyes and yawns, “Maybe, I want to prolong my nap?” He pouts, “Stay with me?” He throws his arm around Baekhyun’s waist and lies down back on the pillow. His head isn’t hurting that much now, and Baekhyun is warm and smells like chocolate.

Baekhyun puts his phone back on the bedside table and moves down the bed. As Chanyeol closes his eyes, ready for his nap, Baekhyun keeps looking at him. The bandage is still wrapped around his head and the bruising has reached the top of his cheekbones, but he swears he feels fine. Baekhyun notes his lips are a little dry and the skin around his nose is chapped due to the weather as well. He is all soft cheeks but sharp jawline; Chanyeol is handsome in his own way.

Baekhyun smiles as he leans forward and lightly presses his lips against Chanyeol’s. The other man’s eyes fly open and his cheeks turn pink as he blinks in confusion. Baekhyun kisses him again, but Chanyeol finally catches up and kisses him back. His large hand cups the back of Baekhyun’s neck, tugging him closer. Baekhyun hums under his breath, his heart thumping, his fists bunching Chanyeol’s t-shirt. It feels nice; Chanyeol is gentle as he moves his lips against Baekhyun’s. This is their first kiss in six years, and Chanyeol aches to do more but he is holding back. So, he pulls away, his chest heaving as he swallows, suddenly frightful, “Is this okay?”

Baekhyun licks his lips. He is thinking: what this okay? Chanyeol’s lips felt _right_. He traces the dip under Chanyeol’s lower lip with his thumb and says, “That was better than okay. Kiss me again?”

Chanyeol gladly obliges.

 

Yixing looks haggard as he reads from his report, “The drug found in Seh-the victim’s system is K2, or fake marijuana. A cannabinoid that affects the THC receptors in the brain. A lot of it, almost two hundred milliliters of it was injected into the bloodstream through the cephalic vein. The victim must have overdosed instantly. The eventual cause of death was a heart attack induced by the drug. He would have died within an hour or less.”

Yixing sighs, putting down the report as he looks around the room. No one went home last night. Jungkook is rubbing his already dry eyes as he blinks himself awake. Yifan and Minseok, the ones who did the autopsy, haven’t really talked much since they entered the room. Junmyeon breaks the silence by muttering, “Thank you Yixing.”

Yixing nods and sits down, his legs giving away, tired. Jongdae puts his hand over his knee and squeezes. Yixing puts his hand on Jongdae’s and they lace their fingers under the table. The heavy air of mourning hangs over them like a thick shroud, and right now, all they feel is a deep lethargy and profound remorse.

Yifan feels responsible. Jungkook misses his friend. Minseok mourns the loss of such a bright, young talent. Yixing feels melancholy knowing he won’t be sharing his snacks with Sehun anymore. The suddenness, the brutality of the death is outrageous, unbelievable. To think that Sehun was just here yesterday and now he is gone, his desk bereft of his belongings is just unimaginable. Then, there was the added dread of Chaeyoung still missing that looms over them like a cloud.

A chair scrapes across the floor and all heads turn to Minseok, who is slowly getting to his feet. He jerks his head at Yifan, “We need to release his body.” Yifan glances at Junmyeon once as he too gets to his feet and then follows Minseok out of the room.

Junmyeon stands up next, “Okay, Jongdae, I will step out for some time. Call me if anything happens.”

Jungkook is the one to leave next, leaving Yixing and Jongdae alone. Yixing sighs and Jongdae pulls him close. Yixing drops his head on Jongdae’s shoulder and sighs again. “I feel so angry Jongdae, and helpless at the same time. Why can’t we catch this guy?”

Jongdae takes a deep breath. “This guy seems to be ten steps ahead of us. I am terrified I will find Chaeyoung dead, and I don’t want to even think about that.”

Yixing raises his head, wanting to say something good but he has been in this business for long enough, so has Jongdae, thus, he knows that whatever he says will sound hollow. Jongdae holds his gaze, probably aware of what Yixing is thinking. Jongdae presses his forehead against Yixing’s and mutters, “It is okay hyung. You don’t need to say anything.”

Yixing sighs again.

 

Jongin wakes up to Lu Han shaking him. It is a struggle to wake up since he slept really late last night but he peels his eyes open and finds Lu Han looking down at him with his eyebrows furrowed and biting  his lower lip. Jongin recognises that look—something distressing has happened. He sits up and grunts, “I’m awake.”

Lu Han mutters, “Jongin, something happened at the university.” When Jongin blinks at him in confusion, Lu Han scoots closer and says, “Remember Sehun? The boy Zitao once brought over for dinner?”

“Yeah, the boyfriend, right? Tall, quiet dude? What about him?”

“He was found murdered by the weir, by the library, Jongin.”

Jongin gasps, now fully awake, “What?”

Lu Han says, his voice low and strained, “They are saying it is that finger snatching serial killer Jongin.”

Jongin widens his eyes, his lips parting as he leans back on the headrest. The couple stays silent for a while, each lost in their thoughts. Most people in the town waking up to news on the murders every other day were unaffected by it. Except for the families and the police officers, the serial killings were just news that sends waves of surprise through the community but no one was involved deeply with it. They could be apathetic to it, read the news and move on. But right now, Jongin and Lu Han know the victim, and suddenly, the whole situation feels more personal.

Lu Han met him a couple of times, and Jongin saw him a little more because Sehun would come over to pick Zitao up every now and then. Jongin looks at Lu Han, who was staring out the window and says, “I think, I should go check up on Zitao, eh?”

Lu Han turns his head and nods. “Yes, you should. I read that it was Zitao who found him. And Nini, I was thinking—ask Tao to come stay with us for some time. They lived together, it wouldn’t be good for him to stay on his own. He doesn’t have family here.”

Jongin nods, sliding down the bed. He puts his feet on the floor and he is making his way to the bathroom when he hears Lu Han muttering, “Did we do the right thing moving here Nini?”

Jongin pauses in front of Lu Han, a slight frown on his face. He leans down and cups Lu Han’s face. He can see the fear and worry swimming in his eyes. He traces the delicate cheekbones under his thumbs as he shakes his head, “Han, no, come on. You are happy with the hotel, Yukhei is happy, and so am I. We did the right thing coming here, love, we did.”

“But—”

Jongin kisses the top of Lu Han’s head and says, “Han, this will pass. I am sure Junmyeon hyung will catch the killer.”

“I hope so too.”

Jongin leaves for Zitao’s home soon after and as he drives into the parking he is frowning when he sees the reporters already camping in the apartment complex. No one pays him any attention and he appreciates it, so he passes through the crowd and gets inside without any incident.

He reaches the third floor and knocks on the door to Zitao’s flat only to have the latter shouting, “I am not talking to you!”

Jongin is startled but then he understands the reporters probably hounded him all morning. He says, “Tao, it’s me, Jongin.”

The door opens and Zitao looks apologetic as he bows, “So sorry, prof, I thought you were one of those assholes.”

Jongin steps in, removing his shoes as he nods, “I understand. Have they been here all morning?”

Zitao shuts the door and groans, “Since five in the morning prof. I can’t go on the balcony without them putting their cameras in my face and screaming questions at me.”

Jongin grimaces a little when he sees the bottles of soju on the coffee table and the tissues littering the floor. The curtains have been torn down from the rungs, books are scattered on the floor and Jongin can peek equal destruction has been wrought in the bedroom as well. Zitao watches Jongin staring at the mess he made last night and he mutters, “Sorry, about that. I gotta clean up, but…”

Jongin takes a deep breath and turns to look at Zitao. The younger’s eyes are red, lifeless and his lips are cracked and bleeding. Zitao continues, “I am thinking how mad Sehun would be to see me like this and just—”

Jongin pulls Zitao into his arms and pats his back. Zitao crumbles; he has been crying all night alone in the flat. He had to give a statement and then he got a police escort who took him home. As soon as the door clicked in place, he trashed the whole flat. He only stopped when he got to Sehun’s part of the closet. Zitao just sunk to the floor as he realised no one will wear those jackets and sweaters anymore. No one would steal clothes from his wardrobe anymore either.

He can’t stop crying. He closes his eyes and all he sees is Sehun’s cold body and empty eyes. He couldn’t sleep at all last night. He looked around the flat and it sunk slowly that he will never see Sehun baking in the kitchen again, never wake up in the bed beside him, never watch movies sitting on the couch with him snuggled under the same blanket. He is all alone now.

Zitao steps back from the hug after some time and rubs his face, “Sorry, hyung, it’s just…”

Jongin shakes his head, “No, it is okay. Listen, Han and I had an idea—why don’t you come stay with us for some time? You can stay with us or at the hotel—I am sure Han can figure it out.”

Zitao widens his eyes, “What? No, I can’t—”

Jongin presses his hands on Zitao’s shoulder and gives a firm shake of his head. He uses his best professor voice and says, “No, I insist. Pack some things and come with me.” He glances at the bottles, “I don’t want you to stay on your own here.”

Zitao tries to smile but he is sure it doesn’t work but he feels grateful. He nods his head but then he remembers, “Wait, those people out there, I can’t go outside.”

Jongin frowns, “Yeah, right. Hold up.” He fishes his phone out and dials a number. “Hey, Junmyeon? Can I ask for a favour?”

Some minutes later, Zitao watches as two patrol cars drive into the complex and push out all the reporters from there. In a few minutes, the place clears and Jongin grins, “Now, we can leave.”

Zitao heads back to Explore with Jongin and they pull up into the path towards the house. Lu Han opens the door as soon as he hears wheels. Yukhei too shows up to welcome Zitao. He runs up to Zitao as the older steps down from the car. He throws his arms out and Zitao smiles for real since last night as he kneels. Yukhei wraps his arms around his neck and says, “Baba said Tao-Tao is sad. I don’t know why, but you can play with all my toys to make you happy!”

Zitao almost starts weeping again but he holds it back. He doesn’t want to alarm the kid, so he swallows and nods. Yukhei grins up at him. Lu Han gives him a hug as well as he steps inside and murmur, “I am so sorry Tao. I wish I could do something for you.”

Zitao bites down his lip to control his sadness and anger from spilling over as he shakes his head, “There is nothing to be done. I just want then to find the bastard who did this.”

Lu Han smiles a little, “They will.” He then wraps an arm around Zitao’s shoulder and asks, “Now, did you have anything to eat?”

As Zitao’s stomach grumbles, Yukhei giggles, “Tao-Tao! I made cookies for you!”

Zitao laughs, “Can’t wait to taste them then kiddo!”

As Zitao goes into the guestroom to take a shower and freshen up, Jongin and Lu Han prepare his breakfast. Jongin is frying the eggs when Lu Han whispers, “He looks, well obviously he would, but he looks terrible.”

“His apartment is a mess Han,” Jongin says. “You had a good idea to get him out of there. Then there were reporters crawling all over his apartment complex. He needed to leave.”

Lu Han grimaces, “Won’t they even let a man mourn in peace?”

Jongin glances at Lu Han who is pouring out the tea into cups. When he is done, Jongin moves towards him and wraps his arms around Lu Han’s waist. He drops a kiss on the side of Lu Han’s neck and whispers, “If you ever die before me, I would fucking die too Han.” Jongin had been thinking about mortality when he was driving back home. He thought about Zitao’s sad, desolate eyes and it struck him that one day he may lose Lu Han too. And it makes him so morose and feel so helpless.

Lu Han turns around and cups Jongin’s face with a smile on his face as he says, “Well, I have four years on you—”

Jongin groans, “I am not joking, Han.”

Lu Han shakes his head, “I know Nini, but remember, even if I am gone, you have to live on. Yukhei will still need a father, you idiot.” He turns around again, spooning sugar out as he says, “And who says I will die first? You are the one who dives into active volcanoes for research!”

Jongin just scoffs and presses his head against Lu Han’s neck. His husband has a point.

 

Yoonoh and Seunghoon walk into the storehouse by the bay and they are taken aback by the amount of blood splattered on the walls. Two bodies lie on the floor, their heads bashed in and their faces unrecognisable. Both constables look away, their stomachs coiling at the savagery of the scene. They haven’t been on this job long enough to get inured to such things, so Seunghoom mutters, “I think I may puke.”

Yoonoh is not feeling any better but he controls it to a greater degree. He looks around the storehouse and finds a CCTV mounted high up at a corner. He says to Seunghoon, “Hey, why don’t you go check where that camera footage can be found, hm? I will take the eyewitness report.”

Seunghoon nods, his face morphing into a smile of sheer relief as he bounds out of the crime scene. Yoonoh steps back as well and locates the couple who came across the scene. He introduces himself, “Hello, I am constable Jung. You must be mister Kim Mingyu and mister Yoon Jeonghan. So, can you tell me what happened here?”

The two men look at each other before the taller one in the couple starts, “So, we were on our morning run when he heard screaming. We come here almost every day, so we know there was a storehouse nearby. We come running here and we realise the screaming was coming from inside.”

The shorter one then speaks, “The doors were locked, so we broke the lock.”

Yoonoh looks back and finds the broken lock on the ground, along with the large rock either of them used to split it apart. He nods, “Please continue.”

“I guess we were making a lot of noise as we were trying to get in because the screams inside stopped.”

“And then, then what happened?”

The taller one takes a deep breath. “We opened the doors and found those two men on the floor. I think one of them was still alive, but by the time the ambulance and police came, he died.”

The shorter one shudders as he presses closer to his husband and say, “That is the most horrific thing I have ever seen.”

Yoonoh frowns, “Did you see anyone else? It is a locked room.”

The taller one shakes his head, “No sir, we didn’t.”

“However—” the shorter man starts, but he glances at his husband before resuming, “There was this strange noise when we broke in.”

Yoonoh asks, “Strange noise?”

“Yeah, like buzzing.”

The taller nods, “Yeah, yeah, you know like the noise of static on TV? That kind.”

Yoonoh is about to ask them to elaborate when Seunghoon shouts, “Jung! You need to see this!”

Yoonoh thanks the couple and excuses himself. He finds Seunghoon in a small outhouse some feet away from the storehouse, hunched over a computer. As soon as Yoonoh steps in, he says, “So, the footage is stored here, and I checked it. You have to see it. It is just like what constable Park told us.”

Yoonoh frowns but as Seunghoon replays the footage, he gasps. The two assailants hitting the two dead men on their heads are the second and third victim of the serial poisonings—Gain and Jiwoo. Yoonoh takes a deep breath and tries to understand what he is seeing. The two women, who are dead—that Yoonoh is sure of—are beating the two men, who are far bigger than them. But the strength of the women is unmatchable and soon the two men crumble, their heads split into two, blood gushing out of their wounds.

Yoonoh then watches with increasing astonishment and incredulity as the two women disappear into thin air the moment the Kim and Yoon couple break the lock and push the doors open.

Yoonoh stands back and locks gazes with Seunghoon, who is blinking at him in confusion. Yoonoh shakes his head, “This may be beyond us, Seunghoon.”


	20. Scene of the Crime

Junmyeon had called over Jongin the moment he saw the video Yoonoh and Seunghoon brought from the storehouse slaughter. Jongin is at home when the call comes in, so he tells Lu Han about it and his husband frowns, “Is it because of Sehun?”

Zitao is in the living room, colouring with Yukhei, but he hears Sehun’s name, so he rises to his feet as he joins the couple, who are in the kitchen preparing lunch. He says, “I heard his name, is everything okay?”

Jongin shakes his head, “No, Tao, Junmyeon called me for something, but I don’t know what.”

Zitao bites his lip, “Well, can I come? They said they would update me but they haven’t. I don’t like not knowing.”

Thus, Zitao tags along with Jongin and Junmyeon is surprised to see him. Zitao explains, “Did you learn anything new?”

Junmyeon ushers them into his office and struggles with how much he should tell Zitao. But Zitao right now is looking up at him with his eyes widened, filled with questions. They implore Junmyeon and he breaks, “He was killed the same way the others were. However, the murderer used a drug instead of a natural toxic. The medical examiners will release the body today to his parents.”

Zitao sighs, “Right, I should meet up with them too.” Then he bows his head and mumbles, “Do you think he was in a lot of pain when he died?”

Junmyeon sighs, “I can’t tell Zitao. But I am so, so sorry.”

Zitao sighs and shrugs his shoulders. Jongin looks at his assistant with his heart dropping to his stomach. He has never seen Zitao like this and it worries him too much. He takes a deep breath next and then perks up and asks, “Hey, what did you ask me here for? I was making lunch, you know.”

Junmyeon inhales, collects himself and then motions them to come around the desk. “I need to show you something.”

Jongin and Zitao walk over and Junmyeon plays the video from this morning’s homicide. Jongin almost gags when he watches the two men get beaten up and Zitao looks away, unable to handle it. Junmyeon keeps scowling as he says, “Watch it till the end.”

Then, to both Jongin and Zitao’s surprise, the two women disappear into the thin air. Zitao gasps, “Ghosts?”

“By the bay,” Junmyeon says. “Far enough from the fissure, right?”

Jongin and Zitao gape at each other. This second incidence is now totally blowing their hypothesis out of the water. From the last attack by the northern side of the town, both thought it was perhaps an isolated incident but this proves it wasn’t. The ghosts keep appearing farther and farther away from the fissure. However, Junmyeon was not done. He replays the video and pauses the video at the moment when everyone can see the faces of the women. He points at them and says, “See them? Those two are the first two victims of the serial murders. They died a month and a few days ago.” Jongin and Zitao gasp at the same time.

Junmyeon turns to look at them as he says, “I have to tell you something…I have never seen any of the ghosts of the serial victims before. In fact, the only one I saw was a few days ago. And then, this.”

Jongin taps his fingers on the desk’s surface and frowns, “This, this is changing things.”

Junmyeon nods, “There’s more. Do you remember how you said you could hear a low buzzing sound every time you see them? The eyewitnesses heard it, I hear it too.”

Zitao crosses his arms and frowns, “Prof, EM affects the brain, right? So, if a large source of EM is around you, wouldn’t you hear a low intensity sound?”

Jongin nods, “You would, but how do we know how much charge this specters are emitting?”

“Plenty,” Zitao says. “If judged by how clearly everyone is hearing it, right?”

Jongin groans, squeezing his eyes, “If only we could trap one!”

Junmyeon scowls, his jaw dropping in astonishment and voice dripping with sarcasm, “You want to trap one…”

Jongin flushes, “For science, of course.”

Zitao cracks a smile, a genuine smile as he watches the two older men—Junmyeon scowling like a teacher scolding Jongin and Jongin looking flustered at being caught. The door opens to Jongdae, who is taken aback to find so many people in the office. He recognises Zitao and bows, “Uh, mister Huang, what are you—”

Jongin interjects, “Oh, he is with me.” He extends his hand, “Doctor Kim Jongin from SRU.”

“Oh!” Jongdae grins, “The ghost guy!”

Zitao and Junmyeon burst out laughing as Jongin splutters incoherently about how he is not a “ghost” guy—in all honestly, that is Junmyeon, he argues—and he heads the geophysics department. Jongdae, however, stops teasing the professor and asks, “So, boss showed you the footage? What do you think?”

Jongin shakes his head, “I really cannot tell. But I was thinking, can you take me over there?”

Zitao looks at Jongin, “You want to check the amount of energy there, don’t you?”

“Yup, I have an idea.”

Some minutes later, Junmyeon and Jongin are at the storehouse after a quick detour to the latter’s office at the university. Zitao had left from the station to pick Sehun’s parents up from the station. Since he looked like he would break down any moment, Jongdae offered to drive him and accompany him.

Currently, Junmyeon dismisses the constable on duty guarding the scene and Jongin follows him as he steps inside. He warns, “Listen, there is a lot of blood, so, yes, brace yourself.”

Jongin nods but as he steps in, the sight of blood and soft tissue, frozen on the floor and splattered on the walls, does make him want to throw up. He mutters, “Gosh, how do you do this?”

Junmyeon shrugs, “I am used to it Jongin. As terrible as that sounds, I have seen the very worst humans are capable of.” He looks down at the small pool of blood by his feet and he mutters, “But this isn’t humans.”

Jongin gulps, forcing to push that comment out of his head too. He knows police officers must see a lot of terrible things, and he, sitting in his lab will never understand this. But this is just jarring. He takes a deep breath and pulls out his device. He switches it on and it instantly starts squeaking. Junmyeon is startled, “What is that?”

Jongin reads the number increasing drastically and he gasps, “Holy fuck, the EM here is off the charts! And to think it must be only residual! What the hell is this?”

Junmyeon raises an eyebrow, “And I brought _you_ here to answer that.” 

Jongin sends him a look but he walks all over the place, carefully stepping over the blood and brains. He finds the energy almost uniform throughout the storehouse. He looks at the skylight and he says, “Hey, can I go outside to check too?”

Junmyeon nods, “Be my guest.”

Jongin wanders out but Junmyeon looks at the splatter on the wall, his teeth clamped over his lip. He suddenly wishes he could see his grandmother, he is sure she would have had an answer. Too bad she never wrote down the things she did or knew. With her, everything was orally passed on to him. And he cannot recall any instance where she had ever told him about ghosts wreaking havoc like that. He knew that sometimes ghosts _can_ possess people, and he vaguely remembers how Jangmi went about banishing them, but such cases were few and far in between.

Jongin shouts from outside: “Junmyeon! Can you come out here?”

Junmyeon joins Jongin outside, who he finds at the edge of the where the woods begin. Jongin is looking down at something and when Junmyeon follows his gaze, he gasps. Jongin says, “I don’t know much about crime-solving but I have seen enough shows. This counts as something doesn’t it?”

Junmyeon stares at the footprint on a small puddle made by melting snow and nods, “Yes, yes it does.”

Jongin looks around the spot and makes a further observation, “Junmyeon, another thing. Do you see how only the snow in this area is melted and not elsewhere?” Junmyeon realises Jongin is right. “I think some sort of heavy machinery was here that got hot. My reader brought me here, spiking high from the residual electromagnetic trace here.”

Junmyeon scowls, “A machine? Whatever for?”

Jongin chews on his lip as he squats, staring intently at the pool and the footprint. He slowly says, thinking aloud basically, “Junmyeon, what if someone is using the energy emitted by ghosts and then controlling them? I have been wondering you know, for some time. We use geothermal energy, the wind and the water to power things, and these natural sources of energy create enough force for us to run cities. We control them, to a level. What if, and I am not sure really because it just came to me, right now, but what if the fissure and the ghosts are both living off each other to create a force? EM occurs naturally, yes, but it can also be produced in a lab. What if someone is creating EM through ghosts, feeding it with the energy from the fissure and controlling it?”

Junmyeon gapes as Jongin finishes talking. He looks into the woods, his eyes focusing on a bird flitting between trees and his eyes widen as he whispers, “Then, the deaths, all of them, have been to feed some sort of energy source?”

Jongin straightens up and frowns, “Preferably, I would like to conduct experiments to confirm, but yes, that is my theory Junmyeon. Perhaps, you couldn’t see the victims before because they were being siphoned away to feed whatever it is, and now, the killer is using to power some sort of machine.”

Junmyeon just stares at Jongin as the dread settles in his guts. He can see how this will fare out. The attacks on the Kims, on Chanyeol and this homicide are just the beginning. Whoever is behind this can create a whole army of ghosts and use it to harm _everyone_ in Hangu-nam. His blood runs cold at the very thought.

 

Hangu-nam has plenty of beaches but not all of them are used for bathing or other frivolous activities. In fact, more than forty per cent of the beaches are not even sand but crushed rocks or giant boulders. Thus, they are not used by people for fun things. Most fish markets, vendors, trawler owners, fishermen and abalone catchers call these beaches their grounds and usually live around it too. A constant fishy smell hangs about the places and the residents are used to it.

In winters, business does slow down, especially for the women who catch abalone, so they take up part-time jobs inland. This afternoon, as the Hangu-nam police station reels from the storehouse slaughter, a woman in her early forties is heading to her job at the small public bathhouse. Her house is by the stairway that leads from the beach to the main road above. She steps out in the chilling air and as she locks her doors, she sees something out of the corner of her eyes.

She scowls as she spots something tucked behind a large boulder. She thinks it is someone’s hand. She wonders if someone fell asleep on the beach after getting drunk again. She walks down to investigate anyway. When she is close, she peeks over the boulder and gasps when she realises it is not a drunk person sleeping their hangover off.

 

Junmyeon interrogates missus Gong as Jongdae helps the CSU tape the area off. Chaeyoung has been found, partially clothed and with her pointer finger on her right hand severed. As soon as the call came in from the hysterical woman saying she just found a body by the beach of a young woman, everyone thought the worst and it got proven right.

Yoonoh seems the most affected—they were close friends. He left the scene the moment he saw her, and no one stopped him. Junmyeon didn’t stop him either. Jongdae has fallen into a sullen silence as he helps the CSU team to bag her and carry the stretcher to the van. He shares a look with Junmyeon as he takes the steps and Junmyeon feels guilty at the moroseness in his eyes. Yifan comes to stand beside Junmyeon. He has pulled his bunny suit off as soon as he was done and he throws an arm around Junmyeon the moment he walks up to him. Junmyeon turns around and presses his face into Yifan’s chest, sighing. “I failed her Fan,” he mutters, “I failed Sehun too.”

Yifan scowls as he puts his other arm around Junmyeon as well. He says, “This is not your fault. The only person responsible for this is the person doing this.”

Junmyeon came to the beach straight from the crime scene at the storehouse, so he leans back and says, “Yifan, I need to talk to you about something. All of you, in fact. Jongin will be joining us too. We are starting to figure out what this might be.”

Yifan frowns but the grim set of Junmyeon’s expression tells him the latter doesn’t want to talk about it yet. He is possibly still mulling over it. But Yifan fails to see how Jongin is involved in this.

Some hours later, Minseok is stitching up Chaeyoung and Yifan is creating samples of her tissues to pass it to Yixing when the former says, “I never thought I would see my friends on this table, you know. I mean, every coroner or pathologists lives in the constant fear that someone they know or love just might end up under their scalpel but I used to be confident with the thought that nothing of that sort would happen in this town.”

Yifan sighs as he labels everything. He glances at Chaeyoung and his heart twists in sadness and hurt. She was the literal light of the whole station. There was no one who didn’t like her. Even though she had almost no business with the CSU, she would still swing by and hang around autopsies and ask a million questions a minute. The pathologists would be mildly annoyed but like every person in their profession, they would also love answering all her questions. To see her lifeless on the table makes Yifan mad for a second. Both Sehun and Chaeyoung were so young—and so were the other victims—they had just begun their lives, by what right did the universe have in taking them like that, and so violently?

Minseok cuts the thread as he closes up her chest and says, “I mean, us, of all people on earth, know and understand mortality. Does it make us so apathetic at the end of the day Yifan?”

Yifan puts down the pen and turns around. Minseok is staring off into space, his face scrunched up, in deep thought. Yifan says, after some seconds of carefully arranging his thoughts, “I don’t know Minseok. When I was just another doctor, I was supposed to save lives. When my first patient died, it was shocking. To see the life seep out of someone is scarring. Remember the first time I had to perform an autopsy solo because you thought I didn’t need the training wheels anymore?” Minseok scoffs and nods. “I still remember the thought I had as I made the Y incision. I thought how fickle life was, and how right now, I was serving death and not life anymore. Did it make me less empathetic? I don’t think so. I now found a new reasoning. I thought this person couldn’t be saved but whoever did this to them must be punished.”

Minseok chuckles, the bitterness obvious, “We are not vigilantes Yifan.”

Yifan shakes his head, “No, we are doctors. And what do doctors do? Give a diagnosis. When alive, it cures a disease. When dead, it ensures that the person, however tragic, didn’t die in vain. Vigilantes? That we will never be. Without us, the law wouldn’t work very well, would it?”

Minseok nods as he says, “I recall the first serious case I helped my predecessor with. The angle of a stab wound determined the real killer. The police, the prosecutor were all hell-bent on sending an innocent man to jail just because his fingerprints were on the handle. If it weren’t for us in the basement, the guilty person would be living scot free, knowing he got away with it.”

Yifan smiles, “That is what I mean Minseok. The law and order would crumble. Lawyers and cops can only shout and confuse people so much; hard science at the end of the day is what makes the guilty person get their just desserts.”

Minseok frowns as he looks down at Chaeyoung. He pulls the sheet over her body and pats her head as he says, “And we will find this bastard. Yongsun found trace on her undergarments and she is certain she will find something, and I trust her.”

Yifan walks over to Minseok and squeezes his elbow. “We will get this fucker, we will.”

 

Jennie gets to work later today than usual—she got the evening shift today. So, when she enters her office, she is stopped by her co-worker, who looks at her all wide-eyed and tense. He says, “Hey, what, what are you doing here?”

Jennie frowns, putting her coffee down on her desk, “I work here, remember?”

The co-worker, Junhoe, looks troubled for a moment before he sighs, “Jennie, I have some bad news.”

Jennie frowns, “What is it?”

“They found Chaeyoung, but—”

Jennie jumps up from her seat as she gasps, “But what Junhoe?”

Junhoe shakes his head, “She wasn’t found alive, Jennie. They say her finger is missing.”

Jennie’s eyes widen as her heart rabbits in her chest. Chaeyoung, her friend, is dead? She shakes her head, “No, fuck, Junhoe, she can’t be dead.” Before he can respond, she runs out of her office and down the stairs to get to the first floor. She knows Chaeyoung works under Junmyeon, so she locates his office and bursts through the doors.

She finds Junmyeon there, and Dr. Wu, along with Jongdae, Yoonoh and this man she has never seen before. Yoonoh gets to his feet and says, “You are Jennie, right?”

Jennie nods, her eyes filling with tears. She asks, her voice low, “Is it true? Is Chae really—” she claps a hand over her mouth as the first sob wracks her body. Yoonoh nods his head once. The confirmation leads to Jennie crouching by the door, trying to hide her crying. She feels hands on her shoulders, trying to get her to stand up. She looks up to find Yoonoh looking at her, his own eyes shining with unshed tears. He says, “Jennie, I am sorry, but we are actually in a meeting.”

Jennie rubs her face and nods. “Sorry, I just—” she feels someone staring at her and finds the DI looking at her, his eyes gentle as he nods at her. Suddenly, she remembers. She pushes Yoonoh aside and walks up to Junmyeon. Her voice trembles as she says, “Sir, may I speak with you privately? I may know something. I don’t know if it is related or not, but there was something Chae made me do for her before she died.”

Junmyeon frowns but he looks at Jongdae and says, “You guys wait then. I will be back.”

He follows Jennie to her office where she shows him the data she collected on the task Chaeyoung asked her to do. She explains, “Chae had me trace some purchases of foreign plants. She didn’t tell me what is was for, but it seemed important for her.”

Junmyeon gasps as he leans closer to the monitor, “This, she had you trace the purchases? So, what did you find?” She never told him she was doing this behind his back.

Jennie says, “Sir, the purchases were found to be made from a public connection from the SRU library.”

Junmyeon looks at her, aghast. He mutters, “Oh my god, so _that_ is what they were doing there…”

 

Meanwhile, at the basement, Yongsun rushes down the corridor towards Minseok’s office. She doesn’t even knock as she pushes the door, shouting, “Fucking hell Minseok! You wouldn’t believe what I found!”

Minseok, who was in the midst of drinking his second coffee of the day, gets terribly startled by Yongsun and the coffee goes down his windpipe instead. He chokes, spluttering, “What?”

Yongsun’s eyes gleam as she says, “Trace, Minseok, I found so much trace.”


	21. Insane Dream

Jongin chuckles as he says into his phone, “Sorry, Han, can’t say when I will be returning. I think I am now officially a consultant for this case.”

Lu Han sighs, “Oh my god, what?”

Jongin says, “Sorry, love, I know. So, I don’t know when I will be back. Love you. Tell good night from me to Yukhei.”

“Hmm, I will. I love you too. Stay safe.”

Jongin puts down his phone and looks at the meeting room now buzzing with energy and low chatter. It is almost dinnertime, thus, he called his husband to let him know he may not return for dinner. Junmyeon did declare to the whole station that Jongin will be helping them with the case. Their earlier meeting got interrupted when two new clues emerged: one from the young woman who barged in and the other one from Dr. Kim Yongsun, who found trace on the victim’s body and undergarment.

Yifan was talking as Jongin conversed with Lu Han in the corner, and he concludes, “The COD was poisoning due to liquid nicotine injected in her blood. But exposure hastened her death.”

“So, we found _plenty_ of trace evidence on the recent victim,” Yongsun takes the stage next and says as she pulls up the results on the bigger screen. “We found salt, sea salt from the sea in our very backyard to be exact, rust and calcium carbonate. We found a lot of chalk under her fingernails. Currently, we are trying to pin point the source of this carbonate.”

Jongin raises his hand, Yongsun nods and he says, “Somewhere close to the limestone cliffs then?”

“Yes, possibly.”

Junmyeon stands up next, “Constable Park had her friend in the cybercrime unit track the purchases made under the Kim Kisoo name. Jennie Kim found out that all the foreign plants were bought using a SRU public library computer. Constable Park and mister Oh went over to probably investigate, which tells us the perp is either working in the university or uses the library often. Currently, we are combing through every card holder.” He then looks at Jongin, who takes a deep breath and walks over to the podium.

Jongin rubs his hands before beginning, “So, hi, I am doctor Kim Jongin from the geophysics department at SRU. You all know about the supposed ghosts attacks.” A low murmurs passes through the crowd of police officers, “I am here to tell you that they are not fake and the videos are not fabricated.” He pulls up the videos and then his EM readings and goes into detail explaining everything he had discovered so far. People ask questions and some are obviously skeptic, and Jongin doesn’t waste time on them.

However, by the very end of Jongin’s talk, Junmyeon suddenly realises. He asks Jongin, “Um, doctor Kim, some time ago, we had an old woman die in the forest, her pacemaker all busted. If a ghost had to touch a person with a pacemaker, would that affect the device?”

Jongin frowns and nods, “Of course it would. I am surmising that these specters emit a large unit of electromagnetic charge. It must have been forceful enough to whack any electric device out, especially something so sensitive to magnetic force like a pacemaker.”

More murmurs arise; Yifan and Minseok look around the room, the former staring at Junmyeon, silently sending his support while Minseok is glaring at the naysayers. It took him some time to accept or understand what Junmyeon and Jongin were explaining to him but it made sense. He hasn’t seen any himself—not that he wants to—but he trusts his friends.

The room empties out and Jongin whines, “Oh my god, that was difficult!”

Minseok laughs, “Don’t you teach at the college doctor Kim?”

Jongin juts his lower lip out, “They aren’t a bunch of cops who don’t remember anything beyond high school physics!”

Junmyeon breaks them up for dinner. They head for the closest restaurant, a favourite amongst the people in the station. As they all—Junmyeon, Jongin, Jongdae, Yifan, Yixing and Minseok—sit down, cramped on a table, awaiting their hotpot, Junmyeon feels happy in a small, insignificant way. He ran, he kept running for years, trying to hide his true self. And now that it is kind of out in the open, he feels lighter. And watching Yifan smiling under the terrible lighting makes him think maybe chief Choi from Seoul had a point when he pushed Junmyeon here.

The deaths still hang over his head like a dark, stormy cloud but Junmyeon knows that he is close, he will get this guy. He swears he will.

 

It is nearing midnight when Jongin finally is released from his “consultant” responsibilities. Yifan has offered to drive him home since Zitao took his car in the morning and Jongin happily accepted. They all are in the car when Jongin gets a call from Lu Han. Before he can say anything, Lu Han screams, “Jongin! They’re trying to kill us!”

Jongin instantly panics, gripping his phone hard as he says, “Han, what is it? Who is trying to kill you?”

Junmyeon and Yifan both turn their heads to look at Jongin; Junmyeon motions at Jongin to hand him the phone. Junmyeon asks, “Han, calm down, this is Junmyeon, tell me what happened?”

Lu Han takes a deep breath and the sound of glass crashing and Yukhei crying comes through on the phone. He says, “I don’t know Junmyeon. Yukhei woke me up, telling me there are people outside and I look from the window and there are like a whole bunch of people and they are trying to come in! I think they broke the kitchen windows!”

Junmyeon scowls and turns to Yifan, “Speed up!” He returns to Lu Han, “Okay, where are you? Are you and Yukhei safe?”

“We are in the bedroom.”

“Stay there, we will be there any moment now!”

Yifan picks up speed and they break at least two red lights as they head to Explore. Just as they near the gate, Junmyeon says, putting his hand on Yifan’s arm, “No, stop here. We will walk from here.”

Jongin is silent throughout the ride with his heart in his mouth, and cold sweat breaking out on his neck. He grabs the back of Junmyeon’s seat and asks, “Why, why, what’s happening?”

Junmyeon unbuckles his seat belt and pulls his gun out of his holster. He checks the magazine and unlocks the safety. He says, “Jongin, we have the element of surprise here. I don’t know who they are, even if they are human or not.” He looks at Yifan, “You have your gun?”

Yifan sighs and inwardly winces. He doesn’t like using any sort of weapons but this is an emergency, so he nods. “In the trunk.”

Junmyeon says, “Go grab it. I hope you remember how to shoot.”

Yifan grunts as he kills the engine, “I hope I do.”

They all get down the car and wait for Yifan to get his gun and put the bullets in it. Jongin eyes the wrench lying in the trunk and he takes it. He doesn’t have a gun after all. They take the main path towards the hotel, but when they are close enough, Junmyeon motions them to step down from the gravel path and into the woods.

When they are close enough, all of them hear it—the low buzzing noise. Jongin whispers, “Definitely not humans then.”

Junmyeon bites his lip. “Then, bullets are of no good.” He thinks for a moment, “Jongin, do you know where we may find a lot of things made of iron?”

Jongin pouts, looking at the ground, thinking. He says, “I think there may be some in the garden shed.” He looks to his right and points, “It is this way.”

“So, they will not see us then,” Junmyeon sighs. “Let’s go.”

They head for the shed, their way lit by the flashlight that Yifan grabbed from his car at the last moment. Junmyeon browses through the selection of garden tools and grabs a rake for himself while Yifan chooses a hoe. Junmyeon suddenly turns around and asks, “Jongin, wait. Let’s take the bridge to get to your house. I have an idea.”

Jongin nods, choosing to trust Junmyeon, who is obviously the de facto leader here. They enter the hotel and take the bridge. The winter air is still and a thin layer of snow lies on the ground. The buzzing noise intensifies the closer they get to the cottage. There are specters all around the property, banging on doors and windows, trying to get in Junmyeon whispers, “Okay, listen, Jongin. I will distract the ghosts, you have your keys right?” Jongin shakes his head. “Then, when the coast is cleared, shout loudly enough. Okay?”

Jongin nods again and Yifan frowns, “I am coming with you.” Junmyeon tries to protest but Yifan shakes his head, “Don’t even try.”

Yifan looks determined, so Junmyeon knows arguing is a waste of time, so he nods. They walk up to the wall and find the door closed. They split up then, Jongin waiting around the corner as Yifan and Junmyeon walk to the front. Junmyeon flings an arm over Yifan and glares up at him, “You will listen to me, okay? Don’t get too brave.”

Yifan rolls his eyes. “I know that you idiot. I don’t go around brandishing garden hoes every night. What is your plan then?”

Junmyeon gives Yifan half a smile but explains, “As judged by the video, these specters are freakishly strong, so don’t go for offence, just keep defending and when you get the chance, hit them with the hoe.”

Yifan nods. “Okay, got it. Let’s go.”

Junmyeon peeks around the corner, towards the front door and realises there are a little over four to five specters in total. Junmyeon frowns a little when he sees that some look as old as a hundred years. He doesn’t understand how ghosts as old as that can emerge. But he can think about that later. He shares one glance with Yifan and rushes forward. The ghosts are attracted by the noise of their footsteps and turn around, growling at them.

Between them, they clear through the ghosts by the back door. Yifan is hitting them with the garden hoe, eyes closed and a permanent grimace on his face. He really doesn’t like violence but Junmyeon can’t help it. As soon as the six or so ghosts disappear, Jongin rushes up and starts banging on the door, shouting, “Han, Han! It’s me!”

The shouts attract the other ghosts to come around from the front and Yifan wheezes, “Junmyeon, I am pretty sure that man is the town’s last mayor…”

Junmyeon looks at the man Yifan is pointing at and he realises his husband is right. He mutters, “How and why the fuck is he appearing!”

The door clicks shut and Jongin almost falls in. Junmyeon drags Yifan away and they both stumble into the back entrance. Jongin shuts the door behind them and pants, “What now?”

Lu Han cries and falls on to Jongin, who wraps his arms around him as tightly as he can. Yukhei too shows up with tears and snot running down his face. Jongin picks him up and the family shares a moment, hearts swelling with relief and gratitude. Junmyeon and Yifan leave them be and walk towards the front of the house. The windows are covered by curtains but the low buzz and the growls emitted by the ghosts can be heard. Junmyeon sighs, “My grandmother didn’t have anything to say for this.”

Yifan drops the hoe on the floor and sits down on a chair, “Then, what do we do? We can’t stay here. We can’t leave them here either. Who knows how long this will last?”

Jongin and Lu Han trudge into the living room as well. Yukhei is curled up into Jongin’s arms, sniffling into his shoulder. Lu Han widens his eyes when a loud bang is heard, someone probably trying to break down the door. He says, “Yifan is right. We can’t stay here.”

Junmyeon bites the inside of his cheek as he thinks for some time. After a long pause, he says, “This will sound crazy but I think we should make a run for it.”

Jongin frowns, “A run?”

Junmyeon nods, “The back door is fairly empty now. We can leave the way we came.”

Yifan scowls, getting to his feet, “That doesn’t sound like a good idea Myeon.”

Jongin takes a deep breath, his hand gently patting Yukhei’s back, and he says, “We have to go Yifan-sshi. There is no other choice. We can’t remain holed up here. Soon, they might break down that door.”

Lu Han chokes on his sob as he nods, “I think, we should go with what Junmyeon is saying too.”

Yifan has been vetoed three against one, so he sighs and nods his head. Junmyeon slips his hand through Yifan’s and gives his fingers a firm squeeze. Junmyeon mumbles, “It will be okay. We will make it.”

Yifan smiles down at Junmyeon before turning his head to look at Jongin, “Listen, pack some things. You will come stay with us.”

Lu Han hears it and he rushes off to collect their things. Yukhei finally raises his head and weakly says, “Are we going somewhere appa?”

Jongin swallows, forcing a smile on his face, “Yes Xuxi, we are.”

Yifan steps forward and smiles down at the frightened child in Jongin’s arms. He slips into Mandarin as he says, “Hey, Xuxi. We are just going away for a while. You will be back.”

Lu Han calls for Jongin and the latter is startled but Junmyeon motions at him to hand Yukhei to him. Jongin relinquishes Yukhei to Junmyeon and the boy doesn’t want to let his father go and starts wailing, but Junmyeon calms him down, his hand rubbing in circles over his back and he says, “It’s okay Xuxi, your appa and baba will be back.”

Yukhei sobs into Junmyeon’s neck. Junmyeon’s heart twists at the low, pained sobs. The child is overwhelmed, confused and possibly tired. Junmyeon starts rocking him gently, his face pressed on Yukhei’s head, and the cries subside slowly. Soon, Yukhei dozes off. Junmyeon sighs, “Poor kid.” He turns to look at Yifan, who he finds looking at him with a soft smile on his face. He asks, “What?”

“Nothing,” Yifan’s smile widens. “Nothing at all.” He is not sure how he can phrase how nice it is to look at Junmyeon carrying and caring for the kid. He remembers how they had talked about adoption years and years ago, and he wonders if that was still up for discussion—maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday. A house, a family, a life with Junmyeon is all Yifan has wanted.

Jongin and Lu Han return with two small bags in hand. Junmyeon returns Yukhei to his parents and Jongin clutches him tightly. Right then, a crash resounds in the room and Lu Han mutters, “That sounded like Yukhei’s room.”

Yifan swallows, “Fuck, okay, let’s go.”

Junmyeon takes the lead, keeps Jongin and Lu Han in the middle and Yifan takes the rear. They carefully unlock the back door and Junmyeon takes a peek. To his utter dismay, he finds a stray specter blocking their way. He turns around and whispers, “There’s only one. Wait here.” He rushes forward and the specter doesn’t get to turn around before Junmyeon whacks him on the head. The thing makes a low gurgling sound before disappearing. Junmyeon sighs and returns to the door, gesturing them to come forward.

They slowly make their way on the bridge, careful to not make any noise. They reach the main hotel and dive back into the woods to get to the car. However, they have made halfway through the trees when Yukhei wakes up. The darkness and the chill of the night surprises him and he starts crying. All the adults halt, their breaths stopping as Yukhei cries, “Baba! Where is baba?”

Lu Han plucks Yukhei from Jongin and his own heart is beating a mile a minute but he clutches Yukhei close to his body and whispers, “I am here baobei, I am here.” Yukhei sobs into his neck and Lu Han vainly tries to quiet the child down. “Ssh, Xuxi, you are okay. Baba is here, so is appa.”

Then, the sound of snow crunching under feet resonates through the woods. Yifan curses, “They are here.”

Junmyeon pushes Jongin forward, saying, “Go, go! Get to the car now!”

Lu Han doesn’t wait as he takes off, Jongin pausing for a second before he follows his husband. Junmyeon grabs Yifan’s hand and they follow the other couple. The wind picks up all of a sudden, and it is harsh as it kisses their faces. Their boots crunch on the light layer of snow and behind them, they can hear more footsteps. Junmyeon is afraid but not for himself. He has seen these things and dealt with them all his life, but no one taught him how to protect the others around him from them. He can feel their overwhelming presence, the telltale headache trying to find its way to slow him down. He can hear the noise, the low drone the things make. He can feel the edges of his vision blurring, the pain in his head now taking roost.

Junmyeon stumbles and Yifan catches him. The taller man pulls Junmyeon close to his chest, almost dragging him. Yifan can tell Junmyeon is falling sick again. His breath is slow and strained, his face is dotted with cold sweat and he is trying hard to breathe through his mouth. Yifan put the inhaler in the car yesterday so he knows he is prepared for an attack but he is more worried about getting to the car in time. He can hear those footsteps inching closer. He can see Lu Han and Jongin ahead of him running. Yukhei hasn’t stopped crying.

Just as Lu Han and Jongin are about to step out of the woods, Yifan watches with his heart dropping when two specters show up from nowhere and block them. Junmyeon sees them too and he pushes himself up, heaving, “Go, go help them.” Yifan opens his mouth to protest, but Junmyeon shoves him, “Go!”

Yifan lets Junmyeon go, who sways and his knees hit the snow. Junmyeon bows his head, panting, trying to get his lungs and limbs to cooperate. He can feel the energy that Jongin talked about. It is pressing down on him from all sides. His head hurts like someone is hammering inside his skull. The bile is at the back of his throat and he knows he might just faint at how overpowering the force is.

He looks up, and to his absolute horror, he finds even more specters have surrounded them and Lu Han is crouching on the ground with Yukhei as Jongin and Yifan try to fend the things off. He has to get back on his feet, he has to fight—he cannot abandon them like that.

So, he tries to stand up, tries to force this sensation in his body out. He puts his hand on the bark and pushes himself on his feet. He picks up the rake he dropped. He uses it to help him stay up. He takes one deep breath and charges forward. He finds a specter pushing Yifan back and he gasps. Yifan catches himself and stops the momentum from tumbling him over. Jongin is faring a bit better but he is distracted by his son crying.

Junmyeon rushes forward and pushes his rake through a specter. The thing disappears with a howl and the sound grates on his nerves. Then, he feels a hand grabbing his sleeve and he waits for the rush of images and sensations, but all he gets is a numb emptiness. He turns around to face the specter and he realises it is a soldier. The thing looks back at him, his jaws moving but Junmyeon doesn’t want to know. He puts his hand over the thing’s hand and a sharp string of energy connects them for a second before the thing disintegrates. Junmyeon looks down at his hand. He _felt_ that. It was electric.

There is another specter inching towards Lu Han. Jongin is trying to keep a specter at bay but he shouts, “No!” Junmyeon, armed with the sudden knowledge at his fingertips, tries again. He touches the ghost, a young woman in a tattered dress, and she aims her wide eyes at him when his hand lands on her solid forearm. It works, the same rush of energy suffuses the point where they touch and the ghost explodes in itself. Junmyeon staggers back. He then realises his headache is gone.

He gets rid of the other two and soon, everyone is gone. The four men heave, their eyes alert and the adrenaline still pumping in their system. Jongin exhales, “I think, I think...”

Yifan nods, “Get in the car, let’s go.”


	22. The Truth Untold

Yukhei had fallen asleep again on the ride to Yifan and Junmyeon’s house. Lu Han could be heard crying, though he was trying to not be loud as he kept his face tucked against Jongin’s chest. Yifan was silent as well, his eyes half of the time on the road and the other half on Junmyeon, worried that the latter might get an attack again.

Meanwhile, Junmyeon sat there staring at his hands, curled on his lap. He was trying to understand what just happened. He stays quiet though and only speaks when they are home. All four of them jerk awake from the nightmare they witnessed as the car stops. Yifan shows them to the guest room as Junmyeon finds the extra blankets and pillows.

Next morning, everyone seems better. Yifan and Junmyeon prepare breakfast when Lu Han and Jongin join them. Lu Han smiles as he watches the sunlight bounce off the snow outside through the dining room windows. He says, “You have a lovely home.”

Junmyeon smiles as Yifan says, “All those windows were Junmyeon’s idea.”

“It is amazing, really.”

Jongin, having inched closer to the detective, catches Junmyeon’s gaze and his voice drops to a low, strained whisper as he says, “We need to talk. Don’t think I didn’t notice what you did last night.”

Junmyeon is startled and he widens his eyes. He feels Yifan’s hand rest on the small of his back—a defensive gesture—having heard what Jongin said. Yifan asks, “What do you mean?”

Lu Han bites his lip, sensing the rising tension between Yifan and Jongin. He softly speaks, “Guys, go sit down. We need to talk, we will. And Jongin? Stop cornering Junmyeon please. I know you are utterly fascinated with what he can do but he is not a lab subject, come on.”

The tense moment diffuses and the three of them go sit down on the dining table. Lu Han joins them after a few seconds with cups of coffee. Junmyeon grabs his cup and looks into the light brown liquid. He sighs, “Okay, last night, I touched a ghost. And I have never touched them before, so what happened was something I have never experienced before.”

Yifan gasps but Jongin speaks up before Junmyeon can, “And when you touched them, they didn’t’ simply disappear, they disintegrated. Like I noticed, they didn’t vanish into the air like they were, they split apart into pieces. Okay, what did you feel? When you touched them?”

Junmyeon looks up and frowns at Jongin, “Electricity.”

Yifan’s eyes widen, “What the fuck?”

Jongin gets up and grabs the EMF device from his bag. He pushes it towards Junmyeon and when the device lights up like a whole Christmas tree near the detective. Everyone looks at it with bated breath and widened eyes. Jongin mutters, “Oh my god. I am right…” When Yifan makes a small noise of disbelief, Jongin explains, “I was wondering you know, how to explain how only you could see them before? What if your frequency matches theirs? Wouldn’t it be obvious then that you may be able to manipulate EM too?”

Yifan shakes his head, “But, wouldn’t we have known this beforehand then?”

Jongin shrugs, “Junmyeon said it so: he had never touched them before, right?” Junmyeon nods. “That means he himself wasn’t aware.”

Yifan leans back on his chair, his worry increasing even more. Junmyeon looks like he wants to curl into a ball and disappear. Yifan sighs as he pushes himself forward and drops a kiss on Junmyeon’s nape. He mumbles, “Hey, it is okay.”

Junmyeon turns his head to glare at Yifan. How is any of this okay? Now, he learns he has some sort of strange ability. He is about to open his mouth to protest when Lu Han claps his hands. He quips, “So, breakfast?”

Yifan grins as he stands up as well. He says, “Yes, we need food. By the way, I don’t think we have kid-friendly food here Han.”

Lu Han waves his hand, “Don’t worry, as long as you have ingredients for congee, Xuxi won’t fuss.”

Yukhei joins them after some time and he is surprised to be in the strange house. When he learns it belongs to his policeman friends, he manages to get Junmyeon to give him a house tour. Junmyeon’s heart eases in relief when he sees the child is back to his usual cheerful self. Perhaps, he thought last night was some bad dream and Junmyeon hopes it is so. Downstairs, Jongin and Yifan huddle over the kitchen counter, arguing in low, strained voices. Jongin hisses, “No! I need to go back! I have to check something out!”

Yifan grunts, “Absolutely not! Those things may return!”

Lu Han rolls his eyes as he stirs the porridge. His husband has been trying to convince Yifan to let him go back to Explore for the last twenty minutes. Lu Han has expressed his displeasure about it and turned his back to close that discussion. But Jongin is relentless; he is now trying to reel in Yifan. Junmyeon and Yukhei return to the ground floor. Yukhei rushes up to hug Lu Han and the latter smiles, lowering the heat and letting Yukhei scramble into his arms. Lu Han gets a sloppy kiss and a toothy, “Morning baba! Myeon uncle has such a pretty house!”

“Thank you Xuxi,” Junmyeon chuckles.

“And he came to save us too!” Yukhei’s eyes widen, sparkling with adulation as he exclaims, “Uncle is the coolest!”

The adults all laugh at the child’s jubilation. Then, Lu Han goes on to feed Yukhei his breakfast as Jongin and Yifan return to glare at each other. Junmyeon catches on and putting his hands on his hips, asks, “What is going on with you two?”

Jongin huffs, “I want to go back to Explore, but your husband won’t let me.”

Yifan crosses his arms and scowls, “What if those things return?”

Junmyeon bites the inside of his cheeks before sighing. “I am with Jongin actually.” Yifan gasps, feeling betrayed. Junmyeon shakes his head, “We thought there might be a machine of some sorts involved, right? I have been thinking of going back to check, so…” He jerks his head towards Jongin and says, “Let’s go after breakfast.”

Yifan frowns but he understands Junmyeon’s reasoning. He shrugs, growling under his breath, “No one cares what I think in this household…”

Lu Han learns that they are going back and he is adamant but Junmyeon assures him that they will be taking Jongdae with them. Junmyeon quickly calls his sergeant, who arrives within thirty minutes. They take Yifan’s car back to Explore; and on the ride, Jongin fills him on the happenings of last night. When Jongin is finished, Jongdae whistles, “We got our own Marvel character in this town!”

Jongin cackles at that while Junmyeon grumbles, “Oh, shut up, please.”

They reach Explore and everyone is on their toes as the car slowly makes its way up the driveway. Every wind, every rustle has them almost jumping. The place is too quiet and the employees are not coming today after Lu Han told them to not, thus, the absolute lack of any human noise is jarring. They park in front of the main entrance and Jongin says, “We better start by our house. I also need see the damage they made last night.”

They take the longer way towards the house, and under the morning light, as they traverse around the property, Jongin learns that there are exactly four broken windows: two in the kitchen and two more in Yukhei’s room and in his study. Jongdae suggests closing them for now with tarp or sheets so snow doesn’t accumulate inside. Jongin remembers they had some plastic sheets from some renovations they did last year on the hotel. Jongdae is given directions to the storeroom while Junmyeon and Jongin step into the woods around the house.

There is a small lake by the house that empties into a creek that is a branch of the main river. Junmyeon and Jongin take either side of the lake and walk down the direction that the water flows. Junmyeon doesn’t find anything on his side of the creek but then Jongin shouts from the other bank and Junmyeon goes over the narrow creek, which is frozen in places, helping him cross over with socks and shoes relatively dry. Jongin is at some distance from the bank, crouched in a grove. The trees are naked here and the snow hasn’t fallen since last night, so Junmyeon can see the footprints and the melted snow—the puddle created is exactly in a shape of a rectangle. He asks, “Do you think it was the same thing?”

“It is, I have no doubt about it,” Jongin says, the scowl on his face a touch madder now. “This bastard attacked my family.”

Junmyeon wishes he could say something reassuring but he thinks that is his fault too. He just can’t get close to this killer and now he is unleashing forces no one in this town is ready for. He looks up at the clear blue sky. The sun is out today in full force. Even though is it still cold and their breaths still form clouds around their heads, the sun makes it bearable. He turns his head to the side and he frowns when something shiny catches his eyes.

The sun glinted of something reflective and as Junmyeon inches closer to the tree root is it nestled in, he finds it to be a pin of some sorts. He reckons it is a tie pin but he could be wrong. He already has his woolen gloves on, so he picks it up. He hears Jongin join him as he peers down at the simple design on the pin. It is a couple of centimeters thick and it is probably made of silver. There are straight lines carved on it and the name of the brand is familiar. He has seen the name Ted Baker before, and that means it is expensive. There is even a white gemstone on the mouth. Jongin frowns when he sees it—he feels like he has seen it somewhere before but he keeps that information to himself.

They head back to the house next. Junmyeon has tucked the piece of evidence in his jacket and he meets Jongdae, who is taping the kitchen window with duct tape he found. Jongin and Junmyeon give him a hand and soon they have all the windows covered. Jongin picks up some food from the kitchen and grabs Yukhei’s favourite soft toy as well. They head back to the car and Junmyeon hands Jongdae the tie pin he found. Jongdae frowns, “Are you telling me it could belong to our killer?”

“Well, neither Jongin nor Lu Han wear ties, so I don’t think it belongs to them,” Junmyeon answers.

“Could have belonged to a guest?”

“That’s why I need you to take it down to the basement and get it checked.”

They return to Junmyeon’s house and Jongdae takes his leave from there. Junmyeon and Yifan decide to head to work some time later. Jongin chooses to stay home with his husband and son, but promises to come over if Junmyeon needs him for anything. As Yifan and Junmyeon drive for the police station, Junmyeon tells him of what he found. Yifan scowls, “But why attack Jongin?”

“Maybe they know he is helping the police?” Junmyeon wonders out loud. “I could be very wrong but then again he did kill Chaeyoung and Sehun because they got too close.”

“I don’t know, but I feel like SRU has something to do with this all, you know.”

“You,” Junmyeon widens his eyes, inaudibly gasping, “What are you saying? Surely you don’t suspect Jongin!”

Yifan shakes his head, laughing, “No, Myeon, why would I? I have known him longer than you have. That man doesn’t have a single violent bone in his body.”

Junmyeon scoffs, shaking his head. However, he has to agree with his husband. “You are right though. The university is too involved with all of this.”

Yifan parks the car and unbuckles his seatbelt, reaching across to cup Junmyeon’s neck. Junmyeon smiles, his eyes fluttering close as Yifan’s thumb traces circles on his nape. He sighs, “What a mess we find ourselves in, didn’t we? Some reunion.”

Yifan chuckles, “At least we got the reunion. I am still grateful about that.”

Junmyeon opens his eyes and smiles. He puts his hand on Yifan’s jaw and leans forward. Yifan knows what he is trying to do, so he meets him halfway as their lips meet. Yifan tilts his head as Junmyeon’s hand sinks into his hair, tugging him closer. It starts out all sweet and tender but then Yifan licks across Junmyeon’s lower lip and by the time they both pull back for air, Junmyeon’s lips are swollen and red. Yifan moves on to kiss down Junmyeon’s neck. Junmyeon whispers, biting back the moan as Yifan’s mouth on his skin drives him crazy, “Babe, we are in a parking lot.”

“Right,” Yifan pulls back but there is a huge smirk on his face. “Let me walk you to your office.”

Junmyeon doesn’t trust that smirk. But Yifan keeps his hands to himself as they walk towards the main building. Yifan even opens the door for him but the moment he shuts the door, Junmyeon finds himself pushed up on his desk with Yifan mouth back on his neck. Junmyeon gasps, “Yifan!”

“Yes, love?” Yifan says right before nipping the sensitive skin behind Junmyeon’s ear.

Junmyeon bites down his lip, groaning, “Fan—” Junmyeon forgets what he wanted to say when Yifan slots his mouth against his. Junmyeon parts his lips, letting Yifan slide his tongue in. Junmyeon doesn’t mind, doesn’t complain—after all, they haven’t been able to find a moment in some time. So, the kiss is a needy mess and their bodies are pressed as closed as they possibly can get. Junmyeon sucks on Yifan’s tongue making the other groan; Yifan slides his hand deeper into Junmyeon’s hair and pulls at it making Junmyeon moan. Junmyeon has his legs wrapped around Yifan’s waist while Yifan’s hands are splayed on his lower back and on his nape, soft, warm and firm.

Junmyeon’s skin feels hot under all the layers he is wearing as Yifan kisses him senseless. His mouth is hot and wanting against his. Junmyeon’s head feels light and he knows he needs to breathe but he doesn’t want to stop. Yifan tugs on Junmyeon’s lower lip, sucking on it when someone knocks on the door and opens it. Junmyeon jerks his head back, his eyes wide in fear as the door opens to Jongdae, who has his head down but then he raises it and simply shouts, “What the fuck?”

He slams the door shut and Yifan erupts into laughter. Junmyeon shoves him back, his face warm as he mutters, “I’m the head detective here, oh my god.”

Yifan still keeps laughing as Junmyeon hops down from the desk. He shoves at Yifan again, lightly. Yifan grabs his wrist and kisses under Junmyeon’s jaw. Junmyeon whines but Yifan can’t help it. His red lips, widened eyes, messy hair and flushed cheeks are both cute and arousing at the same time, and Yifan knows he will be thinking about it for the rest of the day. He kisses Junmyeon’s lips again but Junmyeon jumps back and shakes his head, “Doctor Wu, you got to leave now.”

Yifan rolls his eyes and releases Junmyeon’s wrist. He smirks, “Alright, detective Kim. See you at lunch?”

Junmyeon smiles since he fails to remain annoyed at his husband when he is smiling like that and his eyes are glittering with mischief. “Yes, now shoo.”

Yifan leaves with another loud laugh. Yifan steps out and finds Jongdae pacing outside. Jongdae halts and narrows his eyes at Yifan, who raises his hands and grins, “Sorry about that.”

Jongdae scoffs, “You are not really sorry.” He shakes his head, “Couples are annoying.”

Yifan rolls his eyes, “As if you aren’t making out with Yixing whenever you two can.”

Jongdae doesn’t get to throw his comeback as Yifan walks away. He enters the office and Junmyeon looks sheepish as he says, “I will buy you coffee if you promise to not tell anyone.”

“Bleach, buy me bleach first,” Jongdae says as he drags his chair out. “I just saw my boss play tonsil tennis with his husband in our shared office.” He shudders at how he will probably never be able to forget that scene. Married people are gross.

Junmyeon frowns, “You are so dramatic for no reason, I swear.”

A moment of silence passes as both of them start their computers. Junmyeon asks, “Hey, what happened to the tie pin?”

Jongdae yawns before replying, “They are still testing it. They couldn’t find a match, so I hear they are running partial profiles. They also found sweat on it.”

Junmyeon scowls, “But sweat isn’t the best for DNA, is it? I mean, it won’t hold in court Jongdae.”

Jongdae nods, “I know, I know. But even if it matches someone, or even partially, we would at least have something, right?”

Junmyeon shakes his head and leans back in his chair. “I know but I have seen cases thrown out of court and killers getting a free pass because the DNA collected was sweat.”

Jongdae licks his lips as he bows his head. “I know hyung, but after days of nothing, I will take this. And if it matches the partial fingerprint we collected before and the trace DNA found on Chaeyoung’s body, we can go from there, right? Catch the perp and find better DNA to match with.”

Junmyeon sighs deeply and throws his head back. He doesn’t reply to Jongdae but he agrees to what he says. He can’t help but think ahead. He wants the killer to be convicted at all costs and he doesn’t want the defense attorney to find any excuses. He really hopes they find evidence that is solid and cannot be budged. His hands curl into fists as he fumes internally—he cannot let this murderer go away.

 

Yongsun and Solji are hunched over their computers, frowning. Solji shakes her head, “How, how can this person not have a single thing on any database?”

Yongsun huffs, “At least, it matches to the partial print and the dead skin cells on Chaeyoung’s body.”

Solji tapping her fingers on the tabletop highly frustrated. Hoseok enters the lab with a large pastry bag and a grin, “Hello ladies, I bring cake.”

Yongsun scoffs, “Thanks Hobi, but I am so mad right now I can’t even eat.”

Hoseok clicks his tongue, “Come on guys, you have been here since morning. I know for a fact none of you had lunch, so come on, eat something. I even got Solji noona’s favourite cheese croissants.”

Solji raises her head and smiles, “Thank you Hobi, you are an angel.”

Hoseok spreads out the food he got and as they dig in, he asks, “So, what’s up? Did you find anything?”

Yongsun shakes her head. “Not a single match on any database. We are even running an international database, just in case.”

Hoseok is chewing his muffin as he hums, “You know, could you like use it to match maybe family profiles?”

Solji chokes on her croissant. Yongsun hands her the water bottle and soon as the piece of croissant is down her throat, Solji says, “Hobi! That is genius!”

Solji leaves her half-eaten croissant and jumps back to her computer. Hoseok asks after her, “Can I eat this then? Eating it cold is a criminal offense noona.” Solji waves her hand, not bothered. Hoseok happily gulps it all down.

Solji puts the necessary program on after some minutes and the database runs, now matching their evidence against any filial match. If their murdered has even a thrice-removed cousin, she will find them.

Some minutes pass, Hoseok and Yongsun are still eating and chatting, mostly discussing the plans for the joint memorial services for their friends when Solji gasps, “Guys! I found a match!”

Hoseok and Yongsun both bolt up from their seats and join Solji, who is pointing at her screen, a huge smile on her face, “Look! I found a paternal match, which means we have a daughter or son in the database!”

Hoseok is trembling in excitement now, “Fuck, pull it up noona. Let’s see who the spawn of the devil is.”

Solji clicks through a few tabs and when the name of the son pops up on the screen, they all gasp. Hoseok widens his eyes, thinking his eyesight is fooling him. Solji has clapped a hand over mouth, trying to understand what she is seeing. Yongsun is the only one who finds her voice as she mumbles, “How the fuck is this possible…”

The DNA they have found on one of the earlier victims, the tie pin and Chaeyoung’s body all match, and they have a fifty per cent match to someone they all know very well.

 

Jongin is chewing his lip as he sits at the kitchen counter, watching Yukhei and Lu Han play in the living room. He is preparing lunch now and the tie pin from this morning refuses to leave his mind. He has seen it somewhere, but he can’t, for the love of his life, remember where he had seen it. He returns to the stove, stirs the soybean paste stew and sighs.

He didn’t hear Lu Han coming up behind him, so the arms around his waist surprises him a bit but he laughs it off, “Hey.”

Lu Han smiles, “Okay, that was a sad sigh. What is up with you? You have been scowling since you returned from our house. What happened?”

Jongin sighs, lowering the heat to a simmer as he turns around. Lu Han leans back on the counter, crossing his arms, his smile gentle—and Jongin recognises that as the look of infinite patience Lu Han has with him whenever his mind is a labyrinth and he needs some help escaping it. He shrugs, “We found a tie pin, you know, physical evidence that may help Junmyeon catch the killer.

Lu Han widens his eyes, his smile widening, “That is good news!”

Jongin nods, “Yes, yes it is. But Han, I feel like I had seen the pin before somewhere.”

Lu Han frowns, “That means…you are thinking you know the killer.” When Jongin pouts and nods, Lu Han inches closer and cups his face, his thumbs rubbing in circles as he says, “No, babe, don’t blame yourself. How can you know who is the killer in a room, hm?” Jongin doesn’t seem convinced, so Lu Han tries again, “Okay, tell me, how the pin looked like? Maybe I have seen it too? I have been to your university enough times. I know a lot of people, though I can’t tell how many wear a tie.”

Jongin licks his lip as he says, “It was silver, had a diamond on it, maybe? And oh! The brand name was carved on it!”

“Brand name?”

“Yes, Ted Baker!”

“Ted Baker?” Lu Han pouts. “Ted Baker…My former boss used to wear their ties…” He thinks he has seen this pin too in question. He zones out and his gaze lands on the blue flame on the stove. He can feel Jongin’s expectant gaze on him as he chews his lip and thinks. The flame suddenly glows yellow and Lu Han remembers. He gasps and his eyes widen as he says, “Jongin, I know who it is…”


	23. Ghost Town

Junmyeon is surprised to find Taeyeon present in the meeting room at the basement. He came down here after Yifan called him to come down as fast as he can. The chief doesn’t bother with these meetings unless the information is potentially lethal and earth-shattering, and currently, in the room, only Junmyeon, Taeyeon and Yifan are present, which is alarming.

Yifan looks up as Junmyeon steps inside and takes a seat. Taeyeon and Yifan share a glance, and a moment passes with Taeyeon glaring at his husband and his husband looking like he rather be anywhere but here. Junmyeon slowly speaks, “Fan? What is it?”

Yifan opens his mouth, gapes at Junmyeon before he looks back at Taeyeon and says, “I can’t do it.”

Taeyeon sighs and grabs the folder that was in Yifan’s hands. She puts it in front of Junmyeon and huffs, “I don’t know how to tell you this either, so maybe take a look at it yourself.”

Junmyeon frowns but he opens the folder and finds the report on the DNA results. Apparently, all three prints they have collected from the killings are from the same person. His frown deepens, now he is confused—he already knew this. But there is another sheet under the first two, so he flips the first two and he reads that the print has matched paternally to someone else: a fifty per cent match, which means the murderer has a child. Then, his eyes land on the name of the child.

_The subject, Kim Junmyeon matches 50% of the DNA collected._

People working in police stations and CSU usually have their print and DNAs entered into the system, so if they ever touch anything or bleed out on something, they can be easily eliminated unless incriminated otherwise. Junmyeon too gave his cheek swab and fingerprints samples when he joined the station years and years ago. He didn’t think it would ever be of any use.

Junmyeon doesn’t even gasp. He can’t make a single sound and he can’t look away from that one line. His lips part as he inhales through his mouth; the air reminding him how chapped his lips are because he can’t think about anything else. There is only a low drone in his ears, just his pulse and his blood pumping. He can’t look away, can’t think and can’t ask _why_.

Yifan speaks, his voice gentle, “Myeon? Myeon, please say something.”

Taeyeon sits down beside him and puts her hand on his shoulders. She too speaks as gently as she can, “Junmyeon, come on. The whole town knows you don’t know your biological father—we are not blaming you for anything.”

Junmyeon shakes his head. He gets up to his feet and the chair scrapes along the floor as he does. He rushes out of the room, up the corridor and doesn’t take the lift to get away from the piece of paper. He runs down the corridor and some people look strangely at him but he can’t see them, can’t hear them. There is a constant pulsing drumming in his head and he can’t focus beyond that. The cold air outside finally hits his lungs and caresses his flushed face and that is when he realises he is crying.

He doesn’t know how far he runs but the cold air turns briny, slightly fishy and when his lungs burn along with the muscles on his legs, he stops. He realises he is at the seashore. He looks up and the day is too bright, the sun is out today as well and the waters are so calm, so serene. The breeze is light; it touches his face and gently ruffles his hair as he sways. His knees hit the sand, lightly dusted by snow. He leans forward, his ungloved palms sinking into the wet sand. The ice crystals numb his fingers in seconds and he feels the wet, frigid air settling in his bones—he isn’t wearing his outerwear.

His lungs seize and he feels an iron band squeezing around his heart, compressing it till he parts his lips and no sound comes out. Why is this happening to him? _Why?_

He remembers asking his mother when he was five where his father was. He never missed the man but when he started going to school, he realised how every other kid had a father and he didn’t. His mother looked sad, defeated when she told him he was gone. He didn’t understand so he asked his grandmother again when he turned thirteen and she looked angry, livid. She had never shouted at him before that but that night she scolded him so much he went to bed crying. Next morning, she apologised and explained her behaviour. Apparently, the man also responsible for his existence didn’t want to stick around, abandoned his mother the moment she was pregnant with Junmyeon. Jangmi said she hated him for leaving her daughter when she needed him the most. Junmyeon never asked again, never even wanted to know more. He didn’t even ask for a name.

And now the unnamed killer is supposed to be his _father?_

His fingers curl, grabbing the sand and snow and he can’t feel the burn of the ice as he bites down his lip. He bites hard enough to draw blood. He pants as fresh tears run down his cheeks. He wants to scream, but he can’t find his voice.

Sudden warmth covers his shoulders and he gasps. He turns around to find Yifan draping a jacket over his shoulders. Yifan has his eyebrows furrowed and the corners of his lips turned down in worry. He kneels down beside Junmyeon and pulls him into his arms. Junmyeon puts all his weight against Yifan’s chest and presses his face into Yifan’s neck. Yifan grabs Junmyeon’s hands and rubs them, to return the heat to them. Yifan mutters, “Your hands are so cold, love. Please, let’s go inside.”

“Why, Fan,” Junmyeon groans. “Why is this happening to me?”

Yifan tightens his arms around him and puts Junmyeon’s cold hands around his waist, under his jacket, so his hands are covered from the elements. Junmyeon is almost in his lap as he says, “Junmyeon, this is just a gross coincidence, nothing else. Please, Myeon. Don’t do this to yourself, don’t hate yourself, and don’t tell yourself this is your fault. You don’t even know this man.”

Junmyeon clutches Yifan’s sweater and shakes his head, his voice choked with sobs, “But, Fan, I don’t understand—”

Yifan cups Junmyeon’s face and tilts his face up. The tears in Junmyeon’s eyes make Yifan’s heart clench and he so wishes he could take this away from Junmyeon. He feels powerless; he can’t do anything to help. He presses his lips against Junmyeon’s forehead and says, “Myeon, this doesn’t change anything. You are still you.”

“Am I Fan?” Junmyeon pushes himself out of Yifan’s hold and gets back on his feet, his chest heaving as he now feels the anger seep in. “I am the son of a murderer! I am the son of the man who killed so many innocent people and tried to hurt my friends! How am I still me?”

Yifan stands up as well and grabs Junmyeon by his shoulder. Junmyeon tries to push him away but Yifan doesn’t let him. He uses his strength to stop Junmyeon from running away again. Junmyeon resists but after a moment, he loses his fight and tucks his head on Yifan’s chest, sighing. His fingers grab on to the back of Yifan’s jacket as he cries. He has never felt this helpless, mad and terrified in his whole life. He mumbles, “What should I do, Fan?”

Yifan nuzzles into Junmyeon’s hair as he says, “You do what you do best, solve this case and bring the killer to justice. You don’t know this man, he has never been a part of your life—you are under no obligation to do anything but see this man go to jail.”

Junmyeon is about to speak up when his phone rings. Yifan pulls it out of his pocket and finds it is Jongin calling. He mutters, “Do you want me to take this?” Junmyeon nods, rubbing his face. Yifan takes the call, “Hey, Jongin, it’s me, Yifan.”

“Oh hey, I had something to say. Is Junmyeon around?”

“What is this about?”

“It is about the tie pin we found today. I know who it belongs to.”

Yifan never understood how people could say the ground beneath them shifted when they got some tremendous, life-changing news, but he gets it now. He feels like the whole axis of the earth shifted under his feet after Jongin uttered those words. He swallows and says, “Okay, hold on, I am putting you on speaker.” Yifan turns the speaker on and says, “Say it now, Junmyeon’s here.”

“Oh hello,” Jongin says. “Sorry, it took me so long. I had to dig out last years’ college magazine to confirm, but I know who the tie pin belongs to Junmyeon.”

Junmyeon’s eyes widen and Yifan watches as his lips tremble. He asks, his voice a faint whisper, “Who, who is it?”

“My co-HOD, doctor Hwang Jaehyun.”

 

As expected, the doctor wasn’t at the university or at his address. Jongdae went to the university and Junmyeon goes to the house; Yifan comes with him. The house they end up at is a stone’s throw away from the apartment complex Junmyeon lived with his mother before her death, and Yifan knows that as well. He grabs Junmyeon’s hand and squeezes them. He stays silent but when their gazes meet, Yifan does his best to send all the encouragement he can.

The house is nondescript, tucked between a laundromat and a dentist clinic, and a quick enquiry lets them know that Hwang Jaehyun has been living here for five years. The landlord couldn’t tell if he had been here before. The house is down the street from Chanyeol’s store and as Junmyeon stands at the front steps, scowling, he sees Baekhyun in the crowd, his hand tightly laced with Chanyeol’s. Their eyes meet and Baekhyun doesn’t frown at him, just keeps his expression placid and nods. Chanyeol sends Junmyeon a small wave and it makes Junmyeon feel the tiniest bit bad. Chanyeol and he were never that close of friends but they had a lot of classes together—Junmyeon even tutored him for  some time—and he remembers the man being nice and kind to him. He should probably talk to him one day, no matter what his feelings are when it comes to Baekhyun. He sends back a small smile, which takes a lot of effort.

The CSU have finished taking pictures, so one of the techs call him over. He finds Yifan collecting DNA samples from the bathroom. He bags a toothbrush and Junmyeon lowers his voice as he says, “If that matches…”

Yifan frowns, “Doesn’t matter.” He puts the bag down on the floor and then moves on to grab a cotton swab. He points it at Junmyeon and he looks conflicted as he says, “I need a fresh sample from you too Myeon.”

Junmyeon gulps; he understands even if he doesn’t like it. He takes the swab and rubs it firmly on the inside of his cheeks. Yifan puts the plastic cap on it as soon as Junmyeon returns it. He steps forward, ungloving one hand as he cups Junmyeon’s nape and leaves a kiss on the latter’s forehead. Junmyeon peers up at Yifan through his lashes, his lips set in a line. Junmyeon steps back and puts his gloves on. There are people in the bedroom and bathroom already, so he goes for the small living room-cum-study. His “father” has apparently taught in Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore and even New Zealand before coming here. As he rummages through all his papers and belongings, he finds no evidence of him being in this corner of South Korea before 2013, but he is adamant, since a small part of him still refuses to believe he could be related to Hwang Jaehyun.

He is at the desk, which is a plain wooden one with drawers on one side. The first two contain nothing but bills and receipts. The last two contain stationery supplies. But as he closes the last drawer, he realises the bottom drawer is much heavier than the ones before. He pulls it out and drops all the pens and notepads on the floor. He taps the bottom and his knocks sound hollow, as if there is a cavity beneath it. He has seen a penknife is the previous drawer, so he takes it out and starts prying at the corners. The false bottom soon gives away and there is an old envelope in the narrow cavity beneath it.

He picks it up and notices the postage stamp is from this town. The handwriting also looks familiar, and it takes Junmyeon a moment but he recognises it as his grandmother’s. His throat closes in and he tries swallowing the lump down. He opens the flap and finds a letter and a photograph. The photograph is of him and his mother in the hospital where he was born. A cry rips through his heart but he suppresses it. His hands shake as he unfolds the letter.

_Jaehyun,_

_You requested, thus I am sending you a picture of Junmyeon, your son. But this is it, you are not allowed around my daughter and my grandson, and I mean it. If I see you back here, you will get hurt. You know what I am capable of. I can control those things, I always have and if Junmyeon even gets a sliver of my powers, I will make sure he will never know why he was brought into this world in the first place. I can’t even tell my daughter how you fooled her and hurt her. For now, I will lie to her and to the child, but one day, they will both know—just how selfish, cruel and egoistic you were._

_Again, let me remind you—stay away from my family. You could have stopped with me, but you had to involve two innocent lives into this and I will never forgive you for it. You will burn in hell Hwang Jaehyun, I will see to that if that is the last thing I have to do._

_—Jangmi_

Junmyeon frowns as he finishes reading. He has even more questions now. But the prominent emotion he feels is anger, a deep, profound fury. This man hurt and lied to his mother? And the next thing he comprehends is that his grandmother was somehow capable of _controlling_ the ghosts. So, she had the same thing he did? The electromagnetism was in her blood as well then. He had only been able to get rid of them, but Jangmi knew more. He bites his tongue as he chastises his past self for never trying to learn, never asking more questions.

He hears footsteps and he looks up to find Yifan entering the room, ripping his mask off. He says, “Hey, find anything?”

Junmyeon collects the picture and the letter and shows it to Yifan. “I don’t think you would even need that DNA test. I am this bastard’s son.”

Yifan takes the photograph and the letter. His eyes skim at a rapid speed over the letter and his voice drops to the strained hush as he asks, “Your grandmother could _control_ them?”

Junmyeon nods; he taps the surface of the desk and groans, “Do you know how mad I feel right now? Like, I had her with me all these years but I never asked the right things! And now, I feel like I am paying the price for it.”

Yifan folds the letter and bags it, along with the envelope and pictures. He passes it on to a tech and takes off his gloves. He reaches for his husband and cups his face. Junmyeon sighs as he looks up, his brows scrunched and his lips turned down into a scowl. Yifan kisses the furrow between Junmyeon’s eyebrows and says, “She told you so many things, right? Think carefully, I am sure it will come to you, okay? You are smart.”

Junmyeon touches Yifan’s elbows. He is still in the bunny suit so Junmyeon can’t hug him, seek for the comfort that only Yifan brings. He leans into the warmth on his cheeks and sighs again, “I don’t know what I would do if you were not here to bring me back. I would have probably run away again.”

Yifan scoffs, “I am not letting you go anywhere. And if you feel like running again, I am coming with you.”

Junmyeon lips part in an inaudible gasp. Yifan is smiling all benignant and considerate, and Junmyeon knows he means it. He wishes again he could throw his arms around Yifan again. Right then, a tech calls for Yifan and the man takes his hands away. Junmyeon misses the warmth immediately but he swallows down the sudden sentiments at those earnest words. He finds himself asking again how he managed to stay away from Yifan for five years.

An hour later, everyone who had been at the residence and office of the suspect meet at the station. Taeyeon joins them in the briefing as well. Junmyeon had already expressed that he didn’t want his connection to the suspect exposed, so only the closest and most trusted of them all were present, which means Junmyeon only trusted Yoonoh and Jongdae.

Jongdae and Yoonoh learn about Junmyeon’s connection to the killer but they don’t express their surprise too much, knowing very well that this is neither the time nor place. They had been sent to the office without that knowledge. Jongin accompanied them as well, in case they needed informed eyes to find the right evidence, so he was in the room too. Junmyeon finished telling everyone about the letter he found and then Jongin takes the lead. He puts forward rough blueprints of a device and says, “I think these are drafts to the machine he made.”

Junmyeon sighs, “So, you were right?”

“Unfortunately,” Jongin says. “I have send Tao a copy to figure out how this is working, but my rough summary is that this thing is running on electricity, probably a portable battery. It is harnessing the EM the fissure and the spirits are emitting and then channeling it in such a way that the ghosts are mere marionettes.”

Taeyeon closes her eyes and inhales, “And judging from the attack on your house last night, a large scale ghost attack is extremely possible.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Yoonoh swallows, his eyes trained on the wall as he says, “But this doctor is one man, how did he manage to kill Sehun and Chaeyoung? I can’t wrap my head around it. The other victims were lured to empty places and then chloroformed. But Sehun is—was a tall, broad man, and Chaeyoung knew how to defend herself.”

Jongdae, surprisingly, provides the answer, “You have seen how the two ghosts beat the storehouse victims to a pulp, right? Even the one that attacked Chanyeol was wielding enough force. What if, he used the ghosts to hurt them?”

Junmyeon nods, “That is possible.”

Jongin looks at Junmyeon, and he starts to see his colleague in the curve of his jaw, the natural jut of his lower lip and the slope of his nose. Hwang Jaehyun is short and broad-shouldered like Junmyeon too and it is starting to freak Jongin out at how he didn’t see this before, and never asked Jaehyun about his life. All he knew, or what the man told him, was that he had taught in various universities and that the strange fissure brought him here. Junmyeon turns his head around to semi-glare at Jongin, “You are staring.”

Jongin widens his eyes and shakes his head, “I’m, I’m sorry. It’s just…you do look a little like him.”

The words obviously don’t sit well with Junmyeon, who groans and puts his head in his hands. Suddenly, the door to the meeting bursts opens and a young officer cries, “Sir, ma’am, you have to come see this!”

 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol are in the crowd watching Junmyeon and his team entering the small, one-storied house of professor Hwang. Baekhyun vaguely knew the man. He was quiet and kind of kept to himself, so he wonders why the police are raiding his place now. Also, he doesn’t understand why Junmyeon stands on the front steps looking morose. The detective raises his head and their eyes meet. Baekhyun was ready for the usual hostility but what he sees instead is a deep sadness and exhaustion. Baekhyun doesn’t play that game anymore, so he just nods his head. He has to, one day, apologise to Junmyeon too, he reckons. Meanwhile, Chanyeol beside him sends Junmyeon a wave. Junmyeon smiles back, though it kind of looks pained.

The couple returns to their store and shoo their curious employees back to their jobs. Chanyeol was fixing a tubelight when the police came by, so he returns to that. Baekhyun comes over to help stabilise the stepladder. Chanyeol still has the bandage on and still gets headaches but he just couldn’t stay still and at home doing nothing so Baekhyun lets him come by for a couple hours and help around but nothing too taxing like lifting boxes.

Chanyeol finishes screwing the tube in place and covers it back with the grill. Baekhyun grins at him, “Now, you go back to bed.”

Chanyeol instantly pouts, “Oh come on Baekhyun! It is so boring!”

“You have all the snacks, and Netflix. You have nothing to complain about,” Baekhyun reprimands. He moves aside as Chanyeol steps down and wipes his hands on his overalls. His nose is still red from standing outside and Baekhyun’s heart warms. He cups his husband’s face and tugs it down so he can place a kiss on his nose. Chanyeol smiles as he puts his hand on his waist, pulling him close. Their lips meet next in a tender kiss and Baekhyun shudders when Chanyeol pulls him closer, till their chests are flush against each other.

The kiss gets a bit too heated by the time an employee walks in on them and shouts in surprise. They part, faces flushed in embarrassment. Chanyeol refuses to go upstairs, so Baekhyun orders him to stay by the counter. They already have two cashiers on both counters so Chanyeol chooses to provide company to one of their newer part-timers—this high school student named Taeyong.

The new guy has vivid red hair, and Chanyeol was once into colouring his hair too, so the two spark up easy conversation as customers come and go. A couple of hours pass and Chanyeol feels peckish, so he sends Taeyong towards the Do bakery to get them some cake. Baekhyun watches the red-haired guy leave and saunters over to his husband. Chanyeol’s leans over the counter and smirks, “Why, you didn’t even come to bother me, I am surprised.”

Baekhyun boops Chanyeol’s nose and grins, “You got lucky. The supplier from Jeju called and I had to send some emails, figuring out how to work around the next blizzard.”

Chanyeol frowns, “You should have called me.”

Some minutes pass as they chat and share small kisses by the cash counter. Some young girls come to buy sweets and compliment them on how good they look together. Chanyeol puffs his chest out in pride while Baekhyun preens. As the girls leave the shop, Chanyeol wonders aloud, “I wonder what’s taking Taeyong so long.”

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, a loud, blood-curdling scream from the outside enters through their open doors. Baekhyun and Chanyeol turn their head towards it, both alarmed. They rush for the entrance and when they peek out they both gasp and glance at each other.

One of the girls that left their shop lies on the middle of the road with blood pooling around her head. Her friend crouch around her but then the men inside note the figure standing over them. The lack of proper outerwear, ashen skin and lifeless eyes tells them it is a ghost. But then, Chanyeol notices something. He clutches Baekhyun’s forearm and whispers, “Baek, there are more by the tree line.”

As Chanyeol says, Baekhyun notices it too. The things stumble forwards from the forest and spill on their streets. Taeyong, at that moment, exits Kyungsoo’s shop. Taeyong doesn’t see the ghosts behind him and one of them roughly shoves him aside. The pastry bag drops from Taeyong’s hands as his body hits the wall of the shop and flops down like a rag doll. Baekhyun screams, “No!”


	24. This is the Hunt

Chanyeol steps out, rushing ahead as Baekhyun keeps screaming. The noise also brings Kyungsoo out from his shop and he is at first, taken aback and confused to see Taeyong crumpled on the curb by his shop and Chanyeol running towards them. Then, a loud crashing sound at the front of his shop, of the display glass of his shop breaking into pieces attracts his attention. He turns around and finds a tall man dressed in an uniform from the war with his fist raised. He gapes but doesn’t get to speak when Chanyeol pulls his arm. “Kyungsoo! Kyungsoo! Come with me!”

Chanyeol hoists Taeyong over his shoulder, relieved to find the young man still breathing and drags him towards the store. Kyungsoo follows and as soon as they step in, Baekhyun closes the doors. Chanyeol gently puts down Taeyong on the floor and asks Kyungsoo, “Anyone else in your shop?”

Kyungsoo shakes his head, “No, it was just me this afternoon. You know I don’t open full days today.”

“That is a relief.”

Baekhyun, meanwhile, drops the security grills down on their glass doors and windows. The employees inside all rush forward and gasp at the sight of a bloodied, unconscious Taeyong. Jungwoo, another employee, kneels in front of him and asks, “Hyung, what happened?”

Chanyeol says, “Take care of his injury, okay?” He stands up and looks at Kyungsoo, “I need you to call the station and ask for detective Kim Junmyeon.” He remembers all those rumours about Kim Jangmi and he never quite believed them but his belief system has been upturned since he was attacked by a ghost. And if Jangmi knew things about the supernatural, maybe Junmyeon would too.

Chanyeol finally notices Baekhyun’s teary, angry gaze trained on him. He licks his lips as Baekhyun inches closer and grabs the straps of his overalls. He hisses, “Don’t _ever_ do something like that again.”

Chanyeol wraps his arms around Baekhyun and tucks his face against Baekhyun’s neck. He says, “I am sorry. I couldn’t leave the kid outside.”

Baekhyun sighs, biting his lips. He hugs Chanyeol back and takes a deep breath. “My heart almost stopped you idiot.”

Kyungsoo returns, his hands shaking with his phone in his hand. He says, “It is Junmyeon.”

Chanyeol takes the phone and says, “Hey, it’s me Chanyeol. I need your help.”

Junmyeon says, “Is it about the ghosts? Someone from the news station is already filming it.”

Chanyeol frowns; the news station is at the opposite end of the town from his store. “Junmyeon, there are ghosts here too, right outside our street and they have already hurt someone. Tell me how I can stop them.”

Junmyeon takes a deep, deep breath before speaking, “Okay, listen. Grab anything made of iron, arm yourselves and try to stay inside as much as you can. They can’t hurt you if they cannot get to you. Defend yourself first and foremost, okay?”

“Okay, thanks.”

The call is disconnected and Chanyeol repeats Junmyeon’s instructions to the seven of them present here. There is him, Kyungsoo, Baekhyun, an unconscious Taeyong and three more employees. They all nod and rush about the store looking for anything iron. Jungwoo returns to Taeyong, whose injuries are being taken care of by Baekhyun and Jihyo. The boy finally opens his eyes and asks, “Hey, what, what happened?”

Baekhyun shakes his head, “Nothing. Tell me if anything hurts, okay? Just lie down and rest.” He looks at Jungwoo, “Take him to the office, will you? Put him on the couch.”

Loud slams against the glass doors make them pause for a moment. Kyungsoo widens his eyes as he fishes his phone out of his apron—the things are now trying to knock down the doors and windows. He quickly talks to his wife and he is relieved to learn she and their daughter were home. He tells her to lock all doors and windows—they have seen the news as well.

Baekhyun grabs Chanyeol’s hand as the slams increase in frequency. The low buzzing sound is heard by them all; Jihyo asks, “What is that?”

No one has an answer for her and they can only stare in awe and terror as the ghosts keep banging on the fiberglass doors. They may not break in but they can still see their vapid faces, dislocated jaws or missing limbs, and it strikes fear in everyone’s heart.

 

The phone lines are busy and every available personnel are running about the station. The whole town is under attack. The information to use iron to defend has been spread through some of the news stations. Meanwhile, in the basement, Jongin is helping the team to close down on a specific location where Jaehyun could be hiding.

“Okay,” Jongin speaks. “The salt and limestone tells us he is close or around the cliffs by the southwest, but the question is where he is.”

Jongdae taps the map pulled up on the board and says, “We checked all empty warehouses and even the salt processing factory. But we found nothing. Currently, some officers are combing through the forests and the seashore.”

Yifan looks at the map, his hands on his hips as he frowns. He inches closer and taps at the seashore below the cliffs. He says, “Do you guys remember the urban legend our elders would tell us? About how there are holes under the cliffs that some man used to help people escape during the war?”

Junmyeon shrugs, having heard the story himself, “But no one ever confirmed if these tunnels or caves exist?”

“Actually,” Jongin raises his hand when he remembers something. “Some of my students last year decided to do this project and check out the how old the cliffs are, and one of them had something really interesting to say. Let me get hold of my assistant.”

Everyone in the room feels excited by what Jongin says, who calls up Zitao asking for the report a student submitted last year. Half an hour later, Zitao shows up at the station with the folder and they quickly spread it out to find the part they need. Jongdae and Yoonoh help as well and it is Yoonoh who finds the information they are looking for. The constable cries, “Sir! I think I found it!”

Everyone learns that this student, Oh Hayoung, last year, along with her friends, went down the western point of the cliffs where the urban legend began. They didn’t find anything as they were all ascending but Hayoung returned on her own a few days later since she wanted to investigate the closed salt mine. The mine stopped functioning since a cave in twenty seven years ago (Junmyeon and Yifan have faint memories of that) but Hayoung went inside anyway and found a tunnel that she didn’t get time to explore.

Jongin points at the map again and he says, “After I read her report, I researched the mine and the factory, and I learnt that when the factory opened, they actually bored tunnels into the mine. Surprisingly, the cave in happened when they tried to carve out another tunnel. Now, it made me think that perhaps there was already an existing tunnel, so when the new one was being made, the area became unstable.”

Yifan nods, rubbing his chin, “I heard the western mines shut down after that but no one was hurt.”

Jongdae, who had already pulled up the news article on the computer says, “Yup, there were no casualties except for a few minor injuries.”

Junmyeon frowns, tapping the table, “So, could there be another channel connecting the mines and the factory?”

Jongin nods, “I went there you know, and they may be some sort of second basement they have not used for some time.”

“Then,” Taeyeon says, “The question is how to access it. How does he access it?”

Junmyeon gets to his feet and fixes the collar of his jacket. “Okay, here’s what we will do. One team goes down the mine and the other to the factory. Chief, we need a warrant.”

Taeyeon nods, “On it.” She walks out of the office, on her way to call the prosecutor’s office.

 

An hour later, Junmyeon and Jongdae are at the factory, brandishing the warrant. The manager moves to the side and he is utterly clueless about the second basement since he only started working here four months ago. However, an older employee comes to the rescue and informs them that the second basement was closed off when the tunnel caved in and got flooded. He shows them the area but it has been closed off. Jongdae calls in for supplies to break the doors that are heavily padlocked.

The chains are broken and two constables wrench the doors open. The scent of stale air, stagnant water and salt hits them first. The air inside feels thick and warm; Jongdae and Junmyeon share a look. Both men pull out their guns, the constables follow and turn on the lights on their helmets provided by the manager.

The signs of the flooding still remain. There are still many puddles of water still on the cement floor. The sea water has eaten through some of the metal contraptions and Junmyeon can sense the decay in them, which surprises him. It is like the molecules in the air are calling out to him, wanting him to acknowledge their presence. A moment later Junmyeon understands that this place has trace presence of electromagnetic force. It is a whisper, but it is a loud whisper and Junmyeon exhales, “We are close Jongdae, I can literally feel it. The iron in this room feels weird.”

Jongdae understands, somewhat, the first half of Junmyeon’s words. The last of it flies over his head and he turns to frown at his senior with much confusion. Iron in the room feeling weird? Perhaps Junmyeon hears his mind because the detective turns his head and looks confused himself as he explains in low tones, “I don’t know Jongdae, I can somehow sense the iron and the rust reacting to the EM. Trust me, this has never happened before.”

Jongdae mumbles after shaking his head and inhaling deeply, “You are a mutant hyung.”

Junmyeon chooses to not dignify that with a response and walks in further. Their rubber boots splash on the puddles and the chill creeps in from the outside world, making the muggy air clear up a bit, making it easier to breathe. One of the constables, Hyungwon, says, “Sir, we may need oxygen if we go down the tunnels at this rate.”

The younger man is right; the air is stuffy and if they move any further or deeper, they may face problems. Junmyeon halts right before the boarded up hole at the back of the room. This is where the cave in began and it goes on for miles under the cliffs before opening at the sea. There are a bunch of caves by the cliffs and Junmyeon (along with many residents of this town) have been there, but no one has ventured any further beyond the light that enters these caves to ever check if they ever connected to these salt mines. However, Hyungwon has a point. He cannot risk the life of his officers by blindly jumping into a largely unexplored tunnel. He closes his eyes and sighs. He knows they need to descend and he also knows that the lives of everyone here now are his responsibility.

After a few seconds, Junmyeon gasps, his eyes widening at the planks hammered across the gaping entrance. If they can’t go any further without assistance, then what is the guarantee that Hwang could either? He looks back at Jongdae and says, “I need you to get that old man and the manager and get them to find an older blueprint, especially for this place.”

 

Wheein locks all the doors as instructed by Minseok ten minutes ago. He said he is coming over but Wheein told him she would be okay even though she didn’t feel very okay. She is pregnant and there are ghosts attacking the town. She had glimpsed them across the river in the forest and she is praying they don’t get to the house. She takes a bottle of water from the kitchen and then walks up to the bedroom. She locks the door and pushes a chair under the door knob, heavily breathing now. She knows she shouldn’t stress but she can’t help it. She takes a few more deep breaths and then sits down on the bed, rubbing her hand over the bump. She murmurs, “It is okay Byul, no one will hurt you. I will make sure of that, your appa too.” She fights the panic trying to claw up her throat as she curls up on the middle of the bed on her side and waits for Minseok.

 

Across the river in the new apartments, newlyweds, Mingyu and Jeonghan, look down from their seventh floor apartment as the ghosts step out of the forest and come closer to their apartment complex. Jeonghan shivers, a small, scared yelp making its way through his vocal chords despite him trying to push it back. He feels his husband wrapping his arms around him, squeezing him, then he sees Mingyu grabbing the curtains and pulling them across, blocking the view. He kisses Jeonghan’s neck and says, “It’s okay, we will be okay Han, don’t worry.”

 

Lu Han looks at the news on the television, his heart dropping to the floor, as Yukhei naps in his arms. He had called Junmyeon five minutes ago who gave him some surprising news. He said when renovating the house he used iron rods all over the structure and had unbreakable glass set in. Lu Han understood that much, then Junmyeon told him that a salt line protects them, which Lu Han didn’t understand. But as Yukhei naps peacefully, Lu Han only has to turn his head around to see the ghosts struggling to get any closer to the house and he knows whatever it is, it is working. He has many questions to ask Junmyeon one day. But right now, he is terrified even if it is safe here.

 

The little girl, Hyunsoo, curls into her mother’s lap and asks, “Eomma, what is happening outside? Where is appa?”

Jihyun looks down at her phone, at the last text message Kyungsoo sent and shakes her head, “He is at Chanyeol hyung’s store Soo-yah. He is okay.”

“And eomma? What is this noise?”

The low static murmurs is grating and slowly, ever-so-slowly, increasing in intensity. Jihyun sighs, putting her hand on the slight bump on her stomach and the other around Hyunsoo’s shoulders. She hopes it goes away soon, she hopes everyone comes out of this unscathed, and mostly, she hopes her husband returns to her in one piece.

 

The whole town is under siege. The police station has been barricaded even though many officers have left to protect the civilians. Taeyeon is on the main floor, chewing her nails wondering if she would need to call the mainland and ask for military support or not if things escalate. Judging by the way how fast the news is spreading, Taeyeon is sure she will get the call before she calls anyone.

The television is running the news channel and everyone is watching with bated breath as the reporter apologises for cutting the broadcast after a flying object almost hits the cameraman. Yifan groans and Jongin pats his back, keeping his silence. He had checked in on Lu Han a minute ago and he was so relieved to know his husband and son were okay. Whatever measures Junmyeon put around the house were working and he thinks his family is far safer at the Kim house than they would have been at Explore. Junmyeon and Jongdae haven’t checked in yet, neither has Minseok, who left the station twenty minutes ago.

Someone changes the channel to another news station. Yifan’s phone finally rings and he picks it up to Minseok saying, slightly out of breath, “Hey, I am home. Wheein is okay, a bit shaky but we are okay. Did Junmyeon call?”

Yifan sighs, “No Minseok, he hasn’t. Please take care of yourself and keep checking in please, okay?”

“Don’t worry, I will.” Then, he sighs, a deep, tired one. “Yifan, it’s a mess outside. I think, I think people are actually dead on the main street. Chanyeol’s shop is all barricaded as well and Kyungsoo’s shop is all destroyed.”

Yifan frowns, “Are they okay?”

“I don’t know Yifan. I will ask around. You all stay safe there. I will call again in an hour.”

“Okay.”

The phones in the station are still ringing off the hooks and right now they are a little understaffed since most left to deal with urgent calls. It is pandemonium and no one has a rulebook they can follow. All they have is the advice from one of their head detectives, and since it is working, no one is asking any more questions. Yoonoh is with Seunghoon as they try to clear the area around the main street. There are more cops here but as soon as they destroy one specter, two more show up.

Seunghoon and Yoonoh split up with Yoonoh making Seunghoon promise to call for him if he needs help. Yoonoh leaves the alley by the Do café and steps on the main street. He had heard that people have taken shelter inside the Park grocery store, so he decides to check on them first. As he walks down the street, he finds a body of an unconscious female. He steps close to only learn she is dead. Yoonoh’s gut twists, his mind flashing back to Chaeyoung but he pushes it down and picks the girl up. He gently puts her down by the curb instead of the middle of the road where she was. Her head has been bashed in and some of the blood smears on his jacket but he doesn’t notice.

Two specters trudge towards him and he doesn’t hesitate as he swings his metal bat down on their heads. The buzzing sound amplifies for a split second before they disappear. He finally makes his way to the Park store and swings his bat a few times more to get rid of the specters banging on the glass windows. He peers in and finds a short man gaping at him. He points at the insignia on his jacket and the man understands. He nods and points to his right and Yoonoh looks to his left to see a lane. He realises there must be some sort of back entrance. He can see the protective bars and shutters on the glass windows and walls, and they can’t be removed manually, so Yoonoh walks to the back.

The door is opened and he quickly steps in. The same short man had opened the door for him and he ushers him inside. They stop at the door of an office and Yoonoh sees the prone body of a young man lying on the couch, bloody bandages wrapped around his head. He asks, “He alright?”

The man nods, “He is injured but he is alright, I think. He needs the hospital officer.”

Yoonoh shakes his head ruefully, “That could be dangerous. The ER is already overflowing.”

A taller man joins them and says, “But he can’t stay here either officer.”

Yoonoh chews his lips, knowing he has to make a choice right now. He sighs, “Any more casualties?”

Both men shake their heads. The tall man points to the blood on Yoonoh’s jacket, “Are you alright officer?”

Yoonoh looks down and notes the stains on his jacket. He shakes his head. “No sir, these are not mine.”

The tall man takes a deep, shaky breath and the shorter visibly shudders. The latter mutters, “It is insane out there, isn’t it?”

Yoonoh nods, solemn, his brain still whirring. He looks at the boy with the bright hair again. He makes up his mind. “Okay, I have my squad car by the fishing shop, which is three stores from here. You are right, he doesn’t look too good.”

“I will come,” the taller says. The shorter protests but he pulls him into his arms and presses his lips on his head. “It’s okay Baek, I will be alright. I can’t let Taeyong die on me or anything, okay?”

Another shorter man joins them and Yoonoh recognises him as the owner of the Do café. He adds, “I will come too. Chanyeol can carry Taeyong while I and the officer will take care of the things, okay Baekhyun? He will be okay.”

Baekhyun, the shorter man, nods, his eyes wide with fear. He bites his lip and nods again, “Okay, okay. Go. Call me, please, okay.”

Chanyeol cups his face and kisses Baekhyun. He smiles, “Take care of things here, okay?”

Baekhyun nods again. Chanyeol enters the office and carefully picks Taeyong up. Kyungsoo grabs the iron gardening shears he found earlier and with that, Yoonoh steps out with them following close behind him. He inhales deeply, the cold air stinging his lungs and his jaw hardens. He is a police officer, protector of the people in this town and he will make sure no one is hurt while on his watch anymore.


	25. Three Futures

The blueprints arrive; Jongdae, Junmyeon and the two constables, Hyungwon and Jihoon, step outside to look at it properly. Junmyeon requested for it and it took the manager some time but he found it and they all huddle into the break room on the main factory floor. Jongdae asks, “What are you looking for?”

“It’s just, what constable Hyungwon said. If we couldn’t descend without the appropriate instruments, how can Hwang? There must be something—a vent, a separate room, an anteroom, anything,” Junmyeon answers.

They have been given three copies of the original blueprints. They all pore over them for some time, taking great care to not miss a single thing. Jongdae notices something that makes him frown, “Hyung, I found something, I think? Here.” He pushes the blueprint he was looking at towards Junmyeon. “This says they made a communication room right above the tunnel they mined. But like everything else, they shut down that too.”

Hyungwon peers over Jongdae’s shoulder and adds, “The entrance is from the cliff-side.” His eyebrows furrow as he mutters, “Sir, I think I have seen it.”

Junmyeon is taken aback, he asks, “What do you mean?”

Hyungwon replies, “You know how the cliffs reach beyond the forest?”

“The smaller cliffs by the southeast side? There is an old building there, right?” Junmyeon asks. Hyungwon, like Junmyeon and unlike Jongdae and Jihoon, grew up here, so they know their way around the town and the cliffs, forests and the many strange caves. “There was a small cave entrance by the building. Rumour had it that people left the town during the occupation through a tunnel connecting the building and the cave.”

The worker had joined them with coffee and he has heard what Junmyeon said, so he comments, “Actually, there was a tunnel. It was small and close to the special kind of rock salt they wanted to harvest, so they wanted to use it to set up a small office, first aid centre, etc. However, the cave-in and the subsequent flooding stopped all work.”

Jongdae gasps, “So, it is still there?”

“Half-finished, yes.” The man shrugs, “But no one has been there in ages. You said you are looking for someone, right? I don’t think it is an ideal hiding spot but it is accessible to those who know it even if I don’t think it would be very comfortable.”

Junmyeon widens his eyes as he mutters, “What if, what if Hwang saw that student’s report and went looking at it himself?”

“And then he stumbled upon the perfect spot?” Jongdae finishes.

Junmyeon taps the table as he grits his teeth. He looks at Jihoon, “Constable, go get more officers if you can. Jongdae, I and officer Chae will be going over there now.”

Jihoon nods but then he says, “But sir, we may not have many reinforcements. Most of them are trying to handle the situation mainland.”

Junmyeon nods, “I know, just even if it’s two people, find them, okay?”

Jihoon nods and leaves the factory. Junmyeon turns to Jongdae, “Let’s go sergeant.”

 

Kyungsoo stabs the shears through the ghost’s neck and the woman makes a jarring gurgling noise before disappearing. Yoonoh is ahead of him, swinging his bat to destroy another ghost. Chanyeol is carrying Taeyong, shielding the boy as much as he can as he takes the middle with Yoonoh at the front and Kyungsoo at the rear. Kyungsoo pants as he ensures no one else is coming at them. His breath fogs in front of his face as he says, “Yoonoh-sshi, let’s keep moving.”

Yoonoh says, “Yep, we are nearly there.”

No other ghost interrupts them as they make the final dash for Yoonoh’s car. Yoonoh unlocks the car and opens the door to the backseat at the same time. Chanyeol, with as much care as he can, sits down with Taeyong’s head on his chest. Kyungsoo shuts the door to the backseat and runs around the car to get on the passenger seat. He has hardly shut the door when Yoonoh starts the car.

Both men forget to wear their seatbelts as Yoonoh also forgets to keep to the speed limits. The traffic lights are not working right now anyway. They see more ghosts, more carnage, more injured people and a few shops are broken into, glass shards everywhere and Kyungsoo is sure he saw one of them on fire. Yoonoh curses under his breath when they hear someone screaming in the distance. Kyungsoo quietly reminds him, “One thing at a time officer, we will help as many people as we can.”

Chanyeol nods; he has seen it all too from the window, his heart sinking lower and lower. “You need help officer, and we are willing. My husband might kill me for this but this is my town and people need help.”

Yoonoh feels odd but pleasant warmth fill his body as he smiles a little, feeling bolstered now. “Thank you…hyungs.” Kyungsoo gently squeezes his shoulder in response.

They get to the nearest hospital and as Yoonoh said, there is a large crowd outside and cars are clogging the entire driveway. Thus, Yoonoh turns the sirens on and bypasses the car line and gets to the front. He helps Chanyeol climb out of the car with Taeyong, who opens his eyes and looks confused and scared of all the noise of people shouting and the siren blasting away. Kyungsoo comes to help Chanyeol carry Taeyong inside. A nurse finds them and Yoonoh flashes his badge, crying with urgency, “Please help us!”

The nurse is a bit distressed but she nods and rushes forward to check on Taeyong, who looks like he will pass out soon enough. She gestures towards the nearest bed in the ER, where another person is already receiving first aid. Taeyong keeps sitting as she checks his wound. She says, “Okay, he is okay, though he will need stitches. We already have two more people who are getting stitches so you may need to wait. It was smart that you tried to stop the bleeding and cleaned it.”

Yoonoh finds some police officers hanging around so he walks over to them to get more information on what’s going on. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol keep Taeyong company as he finally gets his stitches after an hour or so. They only used local anaesthesia, so Taeyong was largely conscious. Yoonoh and the other two men regroup and the question arises as to what they should do now. Chanyeol offers, “We said we would help, and we are not going back on it but we can’t just leave Taeyong here.”

Taeyong, though feeling weak and sluggish, offers, “it’s okay hyung. I will stay here.” They all look around the ER and know Taeyong cannot stay, no matter what. None of the beds is empty—some even have more than one person lying on it. Chanyeol gruffly says, “Absolutely not.”

Kyungsoo says, “Actually, I live not too far from here. He can stay there and I can check on my wife and kid.”

Yoonoh nods, “Okay that sounds good. Let’s go.”

Taeyong doesn’t get to protest when Chanyeol glares him down. He walks to the car, supported by Chanyeol on one side and Kyungsoo on the other, who just hovers, not touching, in case Taeyong needs him. They return to the car and drive towards Kyungsoo’s apartment with his directions. It is hardly five minutes away and Kyungsoo curses out loud when he sees some of his neighbours and the landlord fighting the ghosts in front of the entrance to the block Kyungsoo lives in. Yoonoh grips the steering wheel harder, cursing as well. Kyungsoo grabs the shears, his knuckles turning white as he grips the cold metal too hard, and huffs, “Okay, Yoonoh and I will clear them out. On three, yeah?”

Kyungsoo counts down and he is out of the car by one. Yoonoh follows closely behind. Together, with the landlord and two of their neighbours, they clear out the hoard. The landlord, Jungsu shouts, “Oh hey! I saw your shop in the news!”

Kyungsoo stabs his shears into a ghost’s chest as he answers, “I am fine. Is my family okay?”

“Oh, they are okay. We have been making sure they don’t enter the building, no matter what.”

The place is cleared of those pests and they all take deep breaths. Chanyeol finally exits the car with Taeyong and they make their way inside. Taeyong can hold himself up but Yoonoh keeps a steady arm around him anyway. The lifts are still working so they take it to the seventh floor.

Jihyun has already the door open and Kyungsoo runs out of the lift first. He wraps his arms around Jihyun and almost lifts her off the floor, hugging her as close as he can. Jihyun too breaks into a relieved sob as she tightens her hold around her husband; she mutters, her voice wet and strained, “Oh my god, I saw you through the window.” A small voice calls behind them, “Appa?”

Kyungsoo loses his hold on Jihyun, who moves aside to let Hyunsoo jump into her father’s arms. Chanyeol smiles as he watches the family’s reunion. Jihyun notices Taeyong, Chanyeol and Yoonoh and says, “Hey, you all okay?”

Chanyeol steps forward, “Hey, Jihyun, we were hoping Taeyong could stay here? He is hurt and we need to help Yoonoh here, so.”

Jihyun smiles, rubbing her face and nodding. “Yes, of course, Kyungsoo texted me. He can stay here, don’t worry. We will take care of him.”

Taeyong is shown to the guest room and he lies down, slightly wincing. He can see Kyungsoo and Jihyun talking through the open door. He knows what the conversation could be about. He might have been mostly unconscious but he had heard Yoonoh, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo talk about saving the town. He wishes he could help too but every time he tries to raise his head, the whole world spins. But he is also glad his family isn’t at Hangu-nam right now. They had left for Busan to attend a relative’s wedding and Taeyong is grateful for their absence. However, that reminds him: “Hyung?” Yoonoh was in the room, so he is the one to rush over. “Do you have a phone? I need to call my parents.”

As Taeyong talks to his family, Chanyeol hovers in the kitchen awkwardly as Kyungsoo and Jihyun have a hushed fight. Jihyun obviously doesn’t want Kyungsoo out there even if she understands. Chanyeol didn’t mean to be privy to their argument but he can’t make a silent escape either. He opens the fridge and grabs himself some water when Kyungsoo finally wins and Jihyun grudgingly accepts defeat. She waves her hands and marches up to Chanyeol, her eyes blazing as she says, “Keep him safe, will you, please?”

Chanyeol nods; that seems to be the cue to leave and a few minutes later, Yoonoh, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are back outside. 

 

By the time Junmyeon, Jongdae and Hyungwon arrive at the abandoned entrance, they find Seunghoon and another officer, Sooyoung, waiting for them. Seunghoon explains Jihoon had to leave because Taeyeon wanted him somewhere else. Junmyeon frowns a little but he can't override his superior and it is also not the time for pettiness, so he doesn't say anything. Both officers look spooked and Junmyeon remembers none of them is from here. He can imagine how the looming chalk cliffs, the abandoned building and the dark forests behind it might look to someone. He feels plenty terrified himself when he looks into the shadows draped over the small building but he has to put on a brave front for others.

Junmyeon puts his hands on his hips and inhales. “Okay, guys, a few things before we step inside. One, this man is dangerous. Two, don’t shoot at ghosts, because that doesn’t help at all. Three, use iron and use it quickly. Don’t, I repeat, do not let them touch you. These things have no idea of their own strength and one little punch could very well break your bones. And lastly, keep your radios open and if you encounter anything or think you need help, call immediately.”

He then takes time to lock gazes with everyone and when all the officers nod back, he continues, “We are splitting into two teams. I will take Hyungwon and Sooyoung with me to the front while Jongdae will go with Seunghoon and enter from the back.” He turns to look at Jongdae, “You will be our eyes around the perimeter. Look for ways we can quickly escape if anything goes awry, okay?”

Jongdae gives a half-salute and nods, “Yes sir.”

Junmyeon nods. “Okay, now go. If we don’t hear from each other in the next three hours, we will call for backup.”

Everyone nods and their faces are grim; most of them are fresh from the academy and haven’t faced the worse this profession brings, so Junmyeon is anxious about their safety. He makes eye contact with their youngest recruit—Sooyoung—and tells her, “It’ll be okay, just follow my lead.” He glances at Hyungwon as well, “Both of you.”

The little outpost is tucked under an overhanging cliff and nature has taken over it. The wire surrounding the property is rusting and falling over with big enough holes in places for anyone to pass through. Junmyeon can see why anyone would choose this place. It is hidden enough, under the looming cliff and dense foliage, and most people have forgotten about it.

They pass through the part where the wire has fallen apart and then they step inside the boundary. Sooyoung gasps, pointing at the ground where the snow melted and turned into slush. Everyone looks at where she is pointing and they see the set of footprints going inside the building. Jongdae says, “He is definitely here.”

Junmyeon nods, glancing around, “Okay, you two go around the back and find any exits if Hwang tries to escape, you guys need to be there.”

Jongdae and Seunghoon take out their guns, grabbing their iron bats, and walk off, leaving Junmyeon and his team gazing at the gate, which looks locked but when they get closer, they realise the old lock is open and propped on a stick to make it seem locked from afar. Hyungwon tugs it off and he opens the door. The smell of the ocean is predominantly followed by the metallic twang of rust and overall decay. There is water dripping down the walls and flooding the floor. The door opened onto the first level and when Sooyoung flashes her light on the level below, they find it entirely flooded. She whispers, “That looks deep.”

Hyungwon gulps as he points the light down the corridor, which looks like a gaping hole, sucking all the light in. Junmyeon, too, feels the tendrils of fear snaking around him. This is it—he will be facing the man responsible for this all, and his very existence, soon.

 

Minseok unlocks the door and rushes inside his house. He saw those things, those unearthly, unimaginable things that shouldn’t exist. He made the walk from his driveway to the door in constant fear, the hair on his neck rising up as he fumbled for his keys and finally push himself inside. He locks the door and shouts, “Wheein! Wheein, where are you?”

Minseok hears his wife shouting back, “Up here!”

Minseok doesn’t even take off his shoes as he races upstairs. But he halts on the last step when he hears a crash downstairs, probably in the kitchen. Wheein asks, “Minseok, what was that?”

Minseok feels all his blood turning to ice but he manages to keep his voice steady when he says, “Stay where you are, okay? I’ll be right back.”

He goes for the living room first and grabs the iron poker. He can hear the low buzzing sound and he surmises that one of those things is in his house now. His fingers shake as they tighten around the cold metal but he bolsters himself, thinking about his wife and his unborn child. He will not let anyone or anything hurt them. He tiptoes towards the kitchen, keeping his back to the wall. When he is at the entrance, he peeks his head in to find one of the sliding doors in their kitchen (that goes out into the backyard) is broken. Cold air whistles through the hole and chills Minseok’s fingers but what truly chills his bones is the spectre hobbling around in his kitchen.

The thing is an old man, dressed in a suit and has one of his eyes missing. His jaw is unhinged and there is drool dripping down his chin. He seems slow and unsure, so Minseok doesn’t dally. He rushes in and brings down the poker over the thing’s head. The man gurgles before finally disappearing.

“Minseok!”

Minseok turns around to see Wheein at the doorway, her eyes wide with fear, her lips shaking and with dried tear tracks down her cheeks. She has a protective hand placed over her belly and Minseok heaves a sigh of relief when he sees she is unharmed. He quickly pulls her into his arms and kisses her neck, muttering, “Thank god” over and over under his breath.

Wheein, too, feels all the terror in her body washing away when her husband wraps his hands around her. She had seen him swinging the poker down on the ghost and for a brief moment, she feared the worst. To have him, warm and really in her arms, tells her she will be okay, little Byul will be okay too. A blow of cold air reminds her, “Minseok, we need to take care of that.”

Minseok looks over his shoulder and hums, “Do we have some rock salt?”

Wheein nods; she doesn’t ask what her husband is up to but as she watches him sprinkle down a line of salt by the broken door, he explains, “Junmyeon said this works. He said they can’t usually cross a salt line.”

Wheein rubs her belly as she says, “I remember, all those stories about him and his grandmother. I never necessarily believed them, but they are all true, huh?”

Minseok looks at the poker he had put down on the floor as he nods, “Seems like it.”

 

“Behind you!” Kyungsoo shouts.

Chanyeol whirls around and rams the iron rod he had picked up previously through the torso of the ghost. The thing screeches for a while before disintegrating into the air. There is sweat dripping down his neck even though his breath makes tiny clouds in front of him. The weather has been getting colder and colder for some time.

He nods at Kyungsoo for the help and returns to assist Yoonoh, who is trying to wave off attacks from three spectres at the same time. The young officer is limping, having fallen down a while ago. Kyungsoo has a bloody lip from a projectile thrown at him by this ghost while Chanyeol’s head throbs a little from the exertion. But they can’t stop—they need to protect their people, even if destroying one is bringing in three more of those vile, vicious things.

 

Back at the station, Yifan is pacing on the main floor. Phones keep ringing but all their personnel is outside, helping citizens and fighting those things. Taeyeon is still here, doing her best to take all the calls. The cybercrime unit has come down to help as well. But for the last two hours, Junmyeon hasn’t called in. All Yifan got was a text three hours ago with Junmyeon telling him he has reached the salt mine.

Yifan feels useless; he wants to help but he also doesn’t want to get in Junmyeon’s way. He doesn’t have the quiet courage that Junmyeon carries and he knows his presence will only make his husband worry. But staying on the floor, with only a handful of people, is driving him up the walls. Minseok left a while ago to make sure Wheein’s okay, and he did receive a text a few minutes ago from the man. Yifan took some comfort knowing his friends were okay. Jongin, Lu Han and Yukhei were okay too—Jongin left around the time Minseok did and he called back immediately to let Yifan know his husband and his child were fine.

Yifan itches to call Junmyeon but he is so afraid that might distract him or put him in some kind of danger. He flops down on a chair and pushing his head down in his hands, he groans. He isn’t the praying kind but right now, he prays and prays that Junmyeon is okay. If something ever happens to him, Yifan won’t forgive that man. He will personally go hunt him down.

Suddenly, he feels a gentle press on his shoulder and he looks up to find one of the cybercrime unit members, Jennie (if Yifan remembers right), looking down at him with a cup of coffee in her hand. She gives the Styrofoam cup to him and says, “I’m sure they will be fine, and they will catch the guy.”

Yifan takes the cup, feeling somewhat better at the warmth from the coffee seeping into his cold fingers. He nods, “I know Junmyeon will, but…it’s just…”

“I understand Dr Wu,” Jennie sighs. “I want this man caught and punished.” She chokes up then, “He has to be punished for all that he did to Chaeyoung. My friend didn’t deserve that.”

Yifan frowns, his heart twisting in pain as he mutters, “Sehun too.” He sighs, “He was so young, so bright…I still can’t believe he is gone.”

Jennie sits down beside him, breathing deeply. Yifan says nothing and neither does Jennie continue the conversation. There is no need for it. They both share the burden of death, of loss and they both have this want for redemption they are so strongly seeking. But they are not alone, everyone who has lost their beloved friend, family or lover to Hwang seek the same.


End file.
